At Your Word

I love the story found in Luke 5:4-11. Jesus comes on the scene ask to use Peter’s boat as a platform to teach. When He is finished Jesus tells Peter to push out into the deep, where he has just spent all night fishing and not catching anything, and to begin again to fish. I can imagine the natural emotions of this moment. Peter had been up all-night fishing. He was now cleaning up. He was tired. He had caught nothing. In one of Peter’s better moments he responds, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net.” Peter acknowledges the logic of the situation. Jesus, I am a professional fisherman. I have fished all night. I have not caught anything but because you have directed me to I will. The result is that they catch a multitude of fish. The nets begin to break. Partners are called to help. Everyone who saw the situation was astonished at the catch of fish.

How do you respond when you don’t understand the situation or when logic says there is no hope? Do we lean to our own understanding more than trust the faithfulness of God? Do we doubt His ability? Do we think that God only worked this way back then and not today?

Peter’s response was, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Peter is beginning to see Jesus differently. He does not know fully who Jesus is but is beginning to learn. Then Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.” How many of us are afraid of God? Afraid that if He really knew us, He would not want anything to do with us. Truthfully, He does know us. He knows all of our victories and failures and He still wants to redeem us. Then there are these amazing words, “follow me.” God fully knows me, and He still wants me associated with His name. How amazing.

Pastor Scott