NETS

Luke 5:4-6 – When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), Put out into the deep [water], and lower your NETS for a haul. And Simon (Peter) answered, Master, we toiled all night [exhaustingly] and caught nothing [in our NETS]. But on the ground of Your word, I will lower the NETS [again]. And when they had done this they caught a great number of fish…

I love this account in scripture because it’s as practical to the fisherman or businessman as it is to the housewife. Here we see Peter having toiled all night “exhaustingly” and now cleaning his nets and calling it a day. Fishing was his job and what was pulled up in his net was his income. Peter worked the night shift, a good 8-10 hours, and came up empty. No pay for a tiresome day's (or night’s) work.

At the beginning of Chapter 5 we see Jesus preaching to a large crowd on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The people were so numerous that they began to press into Him and literally push Him towards the water’s edge. In verse 5, Jesus sees that Peter’s boat has been shored, and climbs aboard. Peter’s boat represents his career, his livelihood. Christ then tells Peter to put out for the deep water. Put yourself in Peter’s position for just a moment. He has just worked exhaustingly all night long and caught nothing. Now Jesus climbs aboard his boat unannounced and tells him to set out for deep waters and lower his nets …. again. Peter had just cleaned the nets, folded them, and was about to put them away and probably go to bed, dejected and downcast. I can just see the look on old Peter’s face. This rugged, tanned, weary fisherman probably grouching under his breath, but doing it anyway.

Now imagine yourself in the same boat. Maybe your job is low paying and unrewarding, or finds you surrounded by fussing and cussing all day long. Maybe your full time job is to stay home with young children and tend to the affairs of the home. But you find yourself weary, coming up empty, dejected, and downright ready to call it a day. Then Jesus comes aboard and tells you to put out into the deep water and let down your net, again, for a haul. Peter could have said no thanks, no way, or buzz off. So can you. The Bible says that when Peter surrendered to Jesus’ request that he caught so many fish that his nets were to the point of breaking and that his boat was in danger of sinking! Talk about abundance! Peter had to call to his partners in another boat to help them with the catch.

Think of what would happen if we were to not only allow Jesus in our lives but also yield to His requests. We will have to go into possibly uncharted deep waters, maybe places we’ve never been before. We will have to let down our nets, employ our talents, roll up our sleeves, and obey with all that’s within us. But, oh my goodness, the abundance that will follow. The miraculous blessings that will be brought in by our obedience, so much so that others will benefit as well. It says that Peter’s partners James and John as well as the surrounding crowd saw this miracle and believed. What if our lives reflected the works of God to the degree that even innocent bystanders believed! Then we would truly be fishers of men.