“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”” Luke 5:4-5 NKJV
Reflection: do you take Jesus at his word?
My grandpa was a fisherman; a tough profession around the Norwegian coast. He knew the ocean where he fished like the back of his hand. And I remember going with him fishing, that he was very quick to say whether there was any fish to catch. I suppose it was from years and years of toiling with lines and nets to provide for his family, in all sorts of weather conditions throughout the seasons. And with his knowledge of the ocean, it was pretty difficult to tell him to try fishing with different lure, line or even spend a few minutes longer, just in case.
Perhaps one of the most familiar stories written in the Bible, is the one about Simon Peter fishing. As we read, Simon and his crew have toiled all night. But no fish. And then, this rabbi tells them to “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” ,” Can you imagine how offensive this was to them?? I mean seriously! What does he know about fishing? About the water? The time of day to catch anything? Where the nets need to be set? I can almost hear my grandpa’s voice, in disbelief and rejection. How easy it would be to reject Jesus’ words, right? But, somehow, after explaining their situation, Simon decides to follow, and says
“at Your word I will let down the net”
And while you probably know what happened, I think today we need to be reminded that Simon didn’t do this because he believed. No, he didn’t believe, but he acted; “at your word I will”. He did it, despite his disbelief. Despite logic. And as Jesus, the Son of God, gave Simon more fish than he could even pull in, Simon realized that he was on “holy ground”. In the presence of God’s Holy One. And therefore he immediately realized his own sinfulness, and a great fear came over him. “Jesus said to Simon,
“Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”Luke 5:10b ESV. Jesus had so much more in mind for Simon Peter than fishing just for this life. It is so comforting to know that we don’t have to know, understand, or even believe in order for Jesus to do miracles in our lives. We just have to act, on his word, in his name. We don’t have to be afraid, to be in his presence.
Is there some word of God that He has put on your heart, that you are hesitant to act on? That you don’t understand, and have a hard time believing? Perhaps because “you know better” like Simon? Read the story of Simon, the fisherman, and let it fill your soul today.