MERRY MONDAY BY PARRIS
“Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.” Luke 5:3-9
Sometimes you just have to flap those wings and fly. It is almost like something just seems to swell up from the inside of you commanding to “walk on the water”. I love those moments, when God’s voice speaks a dream over and over again, almost like a huge paintbrush on a spiritual canvas. But as time goes on, the older we get, one tends to stick to the shoreline where it’s safer, calmer and well, predictable. Our past failures seem to keep us stuck in a vicious cycle of fear. I believe God is even in the so called failure because humility waits for us at the end of the long dark trial.
McClaren’s Commentary says, “I will ask you to put emphasis upon one word, ‘Launch out into the deep.’ As long as you keep puttering along, a boat’s length from the shore, you will only catch little fishes. The big ones, and the heavy takes are away out yonder. Go out their, if you want to get them. Which, being translated, is this-The same spirit of daring enterprise, which is a condition of success in secular matters, is no less potent a factor in the success of Christian men in their enterprises for Jesus Christ. As long as we keep Him down, within the limits of use and want, and are horribly afraid of anything that our great-grandfathers did not use to do, there will be very few fish in the bottom of the boat.”
In other words, “Christ loves to take our weakness into His hands and make it strong, not that weakness may be worshipped, but that the strength may be adored which even makes weakness subservient to its might.” Spurgeon
Jesus is speaking to Peter, that the fish (souls) will come if you launch. He even gave Peter direction on which side to throw the nets. The invisible work of the Holy Spirit seems to be the guide when we step out in faith to reach our city, our neighbors and our world. God needs fisherman, will you grab your net and go?