For thought and meditation

[rl69]

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. . . . So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.—Luke 5:9, 11 (http://harvest.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4f108f827aed8d503b5fca9fa&id=f68674cdf5&e=3dd732485b)Peter was a seasoned fisherman. He knew all about the movement of fish. He knew the best time to fish. He knew the right moment to pull the nets in. He was an expert. But one day Jesus showed up and said, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4).

Peter had been fishing all night without catching anything. Think about it. If you were a sailor and some guy came along who was neither a sailor nor a fisherman and told you what to do, you might think, Do you really know what you are talking about? Peter was the fisherman. Jesus was effectively the landlubber.

I love Peter's response. He said, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net" (verse 5). By the way, it is implied in the original language that Peter was using a nautical term with Jesus, as if to say, "You are the captain of the boat. You are the admiral here. At Your word, we will do it."

You probably know the rest of the story. They pulled in so much fish that the boat began to sink under the weight of them. Peter was blown away. Jesus had just invaded Peter's world in a way he could understand. Peter fell down before Him and said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (verse 8). In other words, "Don't waste your time on me. I'm going to let You down."

But Jesus told him, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men" (verse 10).

Will you let Jesus be the captain of your boat? He won't force His way on board. He's waiting for you to invite Him.

[Preacher Jim]

That all of us would listen to the master today,then this would be a better place.

[Boaz]

Thank you rl69 .

Matthew 4;19

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

[Blackwater]

Being a fisherman myself, of the sports/obsession variety, that story has always been a great and interesting one to me. And one offshoot from it is they call fishing "fishing" and not "catching" because nothing is ever assured. They may have been biting like crazy yesterday or the day before, and conditions may look perfect, but some days, the fish just won't bite, no matter what color or type of lure or bait you use. But keep at it, and you'll always eat fish!

And it's that way with everything in life. Peter, after all, didn't go cynical and say, "I'm as good a fisherman as I know, and if I can't catch them, they're just not there." Instead, he was game enough to say, "OK, I'll do as you say and see what happens." And sometimes, that's what we need to do, even if we ARE good "fishermen." Even the best fishermen get surprised sometimes. Go ask the pros about that, and they'll keep regaling you with stories for hours, until you get tired of listening to them.

That's why Christ, when he admonished us to cast our bread upon the waters, advised us to do it even when we don't see a likely result of the kind we really want. As much as anything, it's an invitation to allow ourselves to be surprised. After all, "luck" has been described as what happens when preparedness meets opportunity, even if the opportunity isn't promising from our point of view.

Great story, RL, with many relevant offshoots. That's one of the things I keep noting about the stories and parables in the Bible - they can be applicable in some sometimes widely varying ways and from various perspectives, and every one of them is simultaneously true. It's we who determine what we see and get out of these stories. And not one of us likely sees all the relevant things God wants us to learn from even one of the many stories. That makes it a lifelong pursuit to understand more and better and more completely. Keeps us out'a trouble, and helps keep us humble, and feeds our sense of amusement at our own selves. Is our God a loving and wise God or what?