Luke 5:1-11 – the story of Jesus filling Peter’s nets
It was a fruitless night at sea. The morning light brought weary fishermen and empty nets. It must have been hard to make a living as an ancient fisherman on the Sea of Galilee.
This body of water was very unpredictable. The surrounding mountains cradled the lake on all sides creating the perfect environment for changing wind patterns. A storm could erupt at any moment without any warning.
After a night of wrestling with the temperamental waters the men were locking down their boats. As they were putting their gear away, an unwanted request came from the carpenter.
“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
There’sJesus…the One who makes people stretch. And there’s Peter. He’s short fused. He’s fatigued. He’s rammy. But his experience is the heart of his problem.
Regardless Peter holds his tongue and gathers some patience.
“Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
Reluctantly, skeptically he launches out from the shore and lowers the net.
And my mind sees an amazing event that must have looked something like this.
Beneath the surface a stirring. The bedrock is disrupted by a whisper. “Come forth.”
Fish of all species emerge from the dark crevices and caves within the seabed. One command sends them darting in a hurried frenzy. A great school gathers in a swirling dance…round and round. In one fell swoop they jet toward a net suspended beneath the surface. The force of the impact jars the net. As the fish crowd upon each other, the walls of the net close in tightly. The fish are squeezed from all sides. They flap and squirm trying to stretch in a confined space. Suddenly the net begins to lift out of the water, but the weight is too heavy. The meshing begins to tear under the weight releasing a few back into the deep.
Not only were the fish drawn out of the water but the faithlessness in Peter’s heart was drawn to the surface as well. And he was disappointed at his unbelief.
Up to this point Peter placed perimeters around Jesus’ capabilities. The truth is Peter’s experience was more powerful than his faith in Jesus.
Oh friend, I think life experiences can wreak such havoc on our faith. When we trust in the trail we’ve blazed more than the One who created the trail, our faith is misguided. It’s little wonder that our faith is unstable when our gaze is fixed on the details of our struggles instead of the Lord. How can we trust Jesus when we don’t fix our eyes on Him?
Have you, like Peter, toiled over something that has left you empty handed? Have you come through a long dark night feeling discouraged, feeling that you are getting nowhere? Do your prayers ring as hollow as the belief in your heart? I want to encourage you today. No matter how big, no matter how small, no matter how long your struggles, God sees. He knows. He not only sees and knows but He has ordered your steps. Nothing under heaven befalls you that He has not first allowed. Through all of your circumstances He is working things for your good. He loves you with an incomprehensible love. He does not stand outside of your circumstances. Rather He is using Your circumstances to create a beautifully crafted child of God.
Come forth, faithful one. Allow God’s love to flood your heart until your gaze is so fixed upon Him that the world falls away from sight.
Lift your gaze to the heavens. Know that the carpenter who once called fish into a net on the Sea of Galilee will call forth all you will ever need. Rest in His loving care today and may His peace permeate your heart and mind.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
Psalm 37:23
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8
