Groups Guy

Who hasn’t had the experience of not getting it right the first time? You know you put forth effort, you work hard, you think creatively and you try and try. But have you ever after many attempts gotten to the end your willingness to go a step further?

I’ve experienced in many ways in my life. Two times it has happened at about mile 19 or 20 in the marathon. Yikes getting up that hill in Sand Run Park in Akron’s Marathon is a will killer. But those examples are self inflicted. Life dishes out even tougher challenges. Those are probably coming to your mind right now.

And at those critical moments we say, “really …again? I’ve got to go one step more?” This is exactly what was going on with Peter and his fishing friends.

Luke 5:4, 5 says:

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 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.” NIV

Think for a moment about a recent tough issue you’ve had to face. Maybe it was something with your family or with your spouse. It could be something at work or a personality trait that is hard to overcome. Consider what it is like for you to face this. Experience anew the difficulty of the task.

Now think and hear Peter’s complaint. “We’ve worked hard. Man we’ve given it everything we have. Nothing is working. I don’t want to throw this ding dong net one more time.” Peter had spent the whole night …awake casting this net. He had watched to moon rise and fall. He had thrown the net maybe a hundred times with no success.

That might be exactly where you are at. You’ve pounded the pavement. You’ve put your whole heart into it and you’ve got nothing to show for it.

Yet Jesus asked Peter to throw it one more time. Peter tired from the night’s unsuccessful work perhaps reluctantly agree. “Because it is you Jesus who asks I will.” So he throws it one more time out of complete obedience, not because he felt like it.

The remarkable thing is that it was this time throwing the net, Peter and his friends haul in a huge catch.

So what does this say for you and me? Are you tired, exhausted from your toil? Have you wanted to give up your integrity and take the easy road? Jesus may be asking you to keep at your work another step. Are you willing to listen to him for your marching orders? And if he asks will you listen to his request?

You and I never know when the Lord has a haul so rich that we would be staggered. Many of us quit just too soon. May Jesus give us the perseverance to continue to do his work through the night and may he give a spirit of willingness to follow his bidding.