“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5)

You’ve been up all night working on your Connect Devotional. Major writer’s block. Not even any scribblings on the laptop screen. You snap shut the laptop and head for bed when your close friend pops by. You explain your frustration but instead of commiserating, she says, “I’ve got an idea; why don’t you take my laptop; maybe you’ll find more inspiration.” 

Imagine your arsenal of responses! I doubt your first choice is, “Ok, if you say so.”

At the risk of a terrible pun, let me say Peter was in the same boat. A professional fisherman, he’d been fishing all night with nothing to show for hours of effort, and now he’s washing his nets, ready to go to bed. When Jesus pops by. Jesus wants to use Peter’s boat as a teaching platform. Jesus wants an exhausted Peter to come with Him. Then Jesus wants Peter to row way out and cast down his freshly-washed nets.” Maybe you’ll find more fish here” (v.4b, my paraphrase). 

Imagine Peter’s arsenal of responses. His first just might be, “Aren’t you a carpenter?”

However, Peter has recently seen Jesus heal his mother-in-law (4:38-39), and he’s just listened to Jesus teach. He obeys, but can’t you hear a little exasperation? “We’ve tried all night,” he interjects, “but if you say so, I will let down the nets” (v.5). 

Peter’s response changed his life. He obeyed when it seemed impossible to catch fish way out in the deep. Jesus knew Peter was irritated, but didn't berate Him for his reluctant action. Instead, when Peter is stunned at the enormity of fish practically jumping into his rapidly-sinking boat and falls in humility before him, Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid” (v.10b). How like Jesus. It’s not His intent to make us fearful, not ever. He wants this experience, this entire fishing lesson, to cast Peter beyond catching fish to catching people (v.10b). 

Our response to Jesus makes all the difference. Peter could have said no. But look at some results of this reluctant obedience: aside from a huge haul of fish, soon Peter will walk on water, perform miracles himself, and lead thousands to belief in Christ. 

Could those same words - because You say so - propel you to an action you don’t feel you could possibly undertake? If you feel Jesus asking you to “put out into deep water” (v.4b), suppress your doubting, and let down your net. Your obedient response could make all the difference in your life, in someone else’s life. Jesus is in your boat and knows your insecurities, so He’s not going to ask you to do something that seems wildly impossible without His help. Go ahead and act, then, and expect your boat to soon groan from a load of blessings.

If you'd like to read or re-read the overview/summary of this week's passage, you can find it here.