“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’” Luke 5:4

Gone Fishin’

Once my husband and I had a crazy dream. Crazy because it was not rational. Crazy because things don’t work that way. Crazy because adult people are not so flighty, irresponsible, erratic. Crazy because if the normal, routine ways had failed, how could one expect this flight of fancy to come to any different result. And yet—God had spoken. He had given clear, step-by-step instruction. He was in this.

Some of the disciples were professional fishermen. This is how they earned their living. They were experienced. They were good at fishing. They fished at night because good fishermen knew that was the best time to fish, that’s when the fish were moving and feeding. In Luke 5, they had toiled at fishing all night and come up empty. I suppose that’s why they call it fishing and not catching. Their best efforts had come up short and their nets were empty. In fact, they were washing their nets. They gave up. Their usually productive efforts were in vain and they were just done.

Then Jesus uses that very same boat and pushes out a little from the land so that He might teach the crowd that was pressing in on Him. Afterwards, He tells Peter to launch out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch.

It’s broad daylight now and not a good time to fish. Jesus, You are a carpenter; what do You know about fishing? We just washed these nets and stored them back in the boat. We just did this—all night we did this—and we caught not one measly minnow.

“Nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5) And everything changes.

Like Peter, we obeyed God and pursued our crazy dream. Peter obeyed Jesus and landed a crazy catch of fish. We obeyed because of who Jesus is. He demonstrates that with Him all things are possible. He was not limited by our past failures. Jesus can provide all we ever need in any crazy way He chooses. It is His authority, at His word, that wonderful things are brought to pass. We, too, found a catch of fish that surprised and delighted us. Our illusory dream turned out to be a call to ministry and a faith journey. We were as astonished as those long ago disciples.

“Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” (Luke 5:10)  It’s not about the fish. It’s all about this Jesus and obeying His word and the souls He longs to save. He has a bigger plan for you. Nevertheless, at Your word…

“Father, You want to lead and direct us into a life of purpose and calling. Whether it is in the home, or office, or classroom, or marketplace, or somewhere on the road and far from home, may we heed Your word to us and take intentional action to carry out Your will. Be ever glorified. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”