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1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 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.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 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.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 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.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus ’knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 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.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

 

At the start of these verses, Simon and Jesus are presumably not aquatinted. Simon is doing his daily work as a fisherman. He has worked hard all night, and now he is back on shore, likely feeling at least a bit discouraged after not catching anything. He is doing what he always does after a night of fishing; he is washing his nets. He is tired and probably looking forward to some rest and a good meal. His shift is nearing completion.

Then, along comes, Jesus. Of all the people’s boats to step into, it’s Simon’s. Simon is probably very tired and has already done everything he needed to do for his boat to be done in the water for that day. Jesus hops into his boat, though, and says “Simon, guess what. The work isn’t over. We’re going back out.” Simon could have said no. He could have said, “I just don’t have the energy.” He could have said, “Could you please try somebody else—get in somebody else’s boat? After all the discouragement I have had in my work lately, fishing with all my might and knowledge and not catching anything, I just don’t have it in me today.” Jesus was being rather presumptuous in this case, by all earthly standards. He was asking a lot of a few men who had been hard at work all night and were done with their shift, having caught nothing.

Hindsight is 20:20, of course, and we know that it was very fortunate that Simon and the other fishermen did choose to muster up the energy, trust and obedience to do as Jesus said. They were able to bring in a huge catch and also receive a life-changing calling on top of it. But it was their choice to do so, or not.

Jesus hopped into Simon’s boat and rocked it. Are we ready for Jesus to hop into our boats, and rock them? Are we willing to do what Jesus asks when He interrupts the courses of our work and other parts of our lives? Jesus shows us that when God intervenes, it is for our good and for the glory of God. We don’t always see it that way, though. We often see it as too taxing, too much of an interruption in our plans, too much of a shake in our boats. I know I have been

guilty of this. Let us remember the great catch of fish that Simon and the others experienced when they said “yes” to God’s entering their boats and rocking them.

Dear God, When you enter our boats and rock them, help us to say yes to you and to follow where you lead, trusting in your goodness, grace and love for us and for all people. Amen.

Beverly Struckmann

pastorbev@livinglord.org

 

Prayer Concern: For those who are exhausted, discouraged, or burnt out in their vocational lives—that they would seek and be able to hear the voice of God leading them in the way they should go.