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.
Luke 5: 5 (NIV)
Scripture: Luke 5: 1-11
Luke tells the story of the Carpenter telling the fisherman how to fish. It is hard when God tells us to keep doing what we are doing even though we don’t see results. This devotion looks at faith, obedience, and persistence.
Cliff Notes
- God awards obedience, even when the faith is lacking.
- Obedience comes out of the relationship we establish with God.
- We have to be persistent when God is calling us to continue on our paths, even if we don’t see it as being successful.
I’ve often wondered how Peter really felt about this Carpenter telling him, a fisherman, how to fish. Peter was rash and impulsive. He came across as a strong-willed person.
Peter probably didn’t like being told what to do. If it would have been anyone else, he would have probably told him where to get off.
All in all, Peter seemed to take it well. He didn’t balk. It didn’t appear, from what is written, that he hesitated.
But Peter did give a disclaimer. “… We’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything” (Lk. 5: 5 NIV). That way if they didn’t catch anything, others would know there was precedence. He wanted to make sure everyone knew he was being asked to do the impossible.
Because Jesus told Peter to, he would go out again and let the nets down. He’d had his say — his feelings were known. But his Friend asked him to do something, and he would do it.
Peter didn’t commit his partners, but he made the commitment. “And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets’” (Lk. 5: 5 RSV emphasis added). Peter wasn’t going to ask them to throw in with him or his decision.
What Does This Mean?
Look at Peter a second. He probably doesn’t believe the outcome will be any different than the last fishing trip.
Peter didn’t have much faith, but he had obedience. God rewarded his obedience. They caught so many fish, it almost sunk two boats (Lk. 5: 7).
Let’s look at faith a minute. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11: 1 ESV).
To read Do We Use the Bible Correctly?, click the button below.
Peter could be sure that Jesus was not trying to make a fool out of him. At this point, Peter hadn’t proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah yet (Mt. 16: 17), but Jesus had healed is mother-in-law (Lk. 4: 38-39).
We can see that Peter always firmly believed in Jesus — yes, it probably started out believing Him a good man and a good Friend. But Peter believed in their relationship.
Peter’s obedience didn’t come out of the faith. It came out of the relationship.
How Do We Apply This?
How often are we like Peter? “Lord, I don’t know what You are calling me to do, but I am in 100%. Whatever You have in store for me, I will faithfully do.”
How often are we not like Peter? We don’t have the faith, like Peter, but we don’t have the obedience either.
We’ve got to know the outcome first. Is it going to be worth our while? Is it going to be something easily accomplished? Or is it going to be a struggle?
If we’re skeptical about something, we don’t jump on the bandwagon. We’ve got to know chapter and verse how something is going to come down. We don’t leave things to chance.
Isn’t it easier to just give up and quit? This is especially true if we think we are being asked to keep doing the same thing.
Albert Einstein supposedly said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” This was what Peter was trying to say.
(He said it nicely. He didn’t called Jesus insane.)
We buy into that, don’t we? And most of the time, it is true.
But what about the times that God is just telling us to wait? To keep doing what we are doing?
Maybe it is when we are praying for a family member who is not a believer. Maybe it is when we are working for a promotion, and coworkers who are less qualified continue to get the promotion instead of us. Sometimes, it is looking for ways to get your devotions “out there” so other people can read them.
Sometimes, we just have to follow the Master’s bidding even when we think we have been there and bought the tee-shirt.
Those times can be so discouraging, though, can’t they? That is especially so when we know we are following God’s Will, but things just aren’t falling into place — when we’ve, like Peter, “… worked hard …” (Lk. 5: 5 NIV) and have little to show for it.
Usually that just means things are not flowing on our timetables. We just have to learn that patience is a virtue.
God rewards obedience. Isn’t that comforting? So many times, when we’re going through difficult times, our faith gets rocked. It is hard for us to go on, but we have to keep going on and doing what God says.
It didn’t say anything about being successful. It isn’t about what we earn (a lot of fish, that promotion, etc.).
It is about what we gain — a stronger relationship with our God and Savior. That is what God is looking for all along.
God wants us to be persistent. He knows our faith will waiver. He knows our obedience will be challenged. He wants us to make a choice to keep choosing Him.
To read Persistence and Pursuit, click the button below.
We have to believe that God is on control. If we just keep doing what God wants us to, He will reward us.
Father God. There are times we loose faith. Sometimes it seems there are too many obstacles to do what You want us to do. Other times, it just seems plain impossible. Help us to keep doing Your Will anyway. Give us the strength to put everything in Your Hands in spite of our doubts. Thank You for blessing our efforts even when they aren’t 100%. Show us how to eliminate our doubts. Amen.
What do you think? What is one of the hardest things that God asked you to keep on being faithful? What did you use to help you do that? Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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