Jesus calls the fisherman

Reading

“One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” - Luke 5:1-11

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Reflection

As someone who goes fishing quite often, I get asked to bring people along. Somebody will say to me, Hey, can I go fishing with you? And oftentimes when that happens, I'm reminded that there's questions that this person who doesn't know how to fish is bringing with them in their heart. These questions are, Am I gonna be good enough to be able to catch a fish?

And I've been fishing for over a decade, and something that I've learned deep inside is that I can be doing all the right things and still not catch. And that sense for a new fisherman can be quite dysregulating at times. It can bring other questions to the forefront for them. But it's something that has to settle within them if they want to do any sort of fishing long term.

And make it a habit or a hobby that they enjoy.

And as I read this passage about Peter, I can't help but notice that Peter would have been a journeyman fisherman. He would have been fishing almost every day his whole life. He would have understood that he can be doing all the right things and still not catch anything. And I imagine Peter sitting on a boat at night praying to the God of Providence, that God would gift him the provision that he needs in order to make the fruit of his labor worthwhile.

And it's this place that Jesus starts to create the culture of his disciples.

As soon as Peter catches these fish, he instantly recognizes Jesus as the one who commands providence, who can command the fish, and he falls down and he says, Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. Because he's instantly acknowledging that the God that he's been praying to his whole life is the man that is standing in front of him.

Because his a capacity to recognize providence and who is in control of providence. And it's that posture that when we come into the kind of work where we want to share Jesus to our friends, is that we can do all the right things, we can have all the right answers, but it's actually being present to what God is doing.

In our midst and trusting in Him for the fruit of our labor, that becomes the lesson and the culture of which Jesus builds his disciples upon.

The way is surrender. So let's take a moment to pause.

Consider the people in your life who don't yet know God, who feel impossible to reach God.

who feel the furthest from a conversation about God.

Who you may have given up on.

Take your plans, ideas for converting, pre planned conversations or hopelessness, and just lay them down out of your mind.

Trust that the spirit moving is a safer place for you to be than trying to do it on your own. Step into the unknown. Being present may be the most dignifying and powerful gesture of God's love we can offer.

Let us pray.

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Jesus, you are my provider.

Give me the heart of Peter. Teach me to know surrender to your perfect love and provision. Give me eyes to see you clearly. Give me courage to follow you boldly, and give me the trust it takes to be a fisher of men. In your holy and precious name we pray.