And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” - And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:5; 11 ESV
Like the farmer who has just finished his spring planting only to have his field washed out by a rainstorm, Peter was discouraged after spending the entire night casting his nets and laboriously pulling them in again and then returning home exhausted and empty handed. All of us are sometimes forced to face our inabilities and failures that have happened in spite of our best efforts. Maybe we were fired from our job because we failed to make a quota, our marriage is struggling, and it seems we don’t have even one friend. Whatever we are facing, is how Peter felt that morning when he met Jesus. But Jesus hadn’t come to call Peter because he was the best fisherman, and He doesn’t only call the best fathers, mothers, or pastors for His kingdom work. Jesus often picks people for His team who have worked all night with nothing to show for their efforts. And Jesus hasn’t showed up just to demand that we try harder, He only asks that we believe and obey His word. Peter didn’t understand why Jesus said to launch out, and he even pointed out that it seemed foolish to throw out his nets again, but he chose to obey anyway. Then, when he cast that heavy net out just one more time, it became so full that it took all the efforts of Peter, and his friends to pull it in. But this story is about more than just blessings. The real blessing and call of Jesus, both then, and now, is to leave everything by faith and come follow Jesus wherever He asks us to go!
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