The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have the Bible Edge
Luke 5:5
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.
Luke 5:1-11 tells an outstanding story. Peter (Simon) was a fisherman, brothers James and John were his partners. On a certain night, their fishing venture was unprofitable. They caught nothing. In the morning, while cleaning their nets a man named Jesus asked Peter if He could use his boat as a makeshift pulpit to teach the mob of folks that wanted to hear the word of God. Peter allowed this, and the Lord never to be indebted to any man desired to reward the fisherman’s kindness.
The Lord told Peter to go back out into the deep and let down his nets, if he did he would catch a lot of fish. To which Peter said that which any commercial fisherman would believe and say: Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. It made no sense to Peter to fish at that time of day, in those empty waters, and even perhaps in the deep as sometimes fish are found in the shallow waters at certain times of the year. But Peter decided to do that which Jesus said: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
When he let down his net, he caught a great multitude of fishes, so much so that their net broke. Then, astounded and delighted in the Lord, Peter, James and John left their fishing enterprise, forsook all and followed Him for the rest of their lives.
What changed Peter? He experienced Christ’s power. Why, because he chose to obey without understanding and caught a draught of fishes. He chose to let down his nets. Perhaps the reason so many fail to see God’s miracles today is that they do not, will not, cannot bring themselves to believe the Lord’s Word and let down their net. Know this, Jesus had the fish there, and told Peter to go catch them, but Peter had to go, he had to obey. If he had not obeyed that which the Lord told him to do, he would never have caught the fish, thereby he would have never seen the miracle.
To go back out fishing, Peter, no doubt, faced ridicule. “Hey, Peter, why are you going fishing at this hour, in that place, wasn’t being shut out last night enough? You’ve already cleaned your nets, if you go fishing now it will be a waste of time and effort. Peter, you know better!” But Peter did not listen to the naysayers, He let down his net. He had to “let” the net down. Once he did and saw the result something changed in this man, he chose to follow Jesus for the rest of his life. My word what a life Peter led!
To trust the Lord, obey the Lord, let down the net, and live by faith. Then you will see the miraculous power of the Lord God and be all too willing to simply follow Him. Human rationale will always fight against living by faith. To let down the net a person will have to go against logic, human nature, and personal experience. For example, Matthew 6:33 is a general command of Christ that if lived will bring provision to any and all. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Seeking the kingdom of God first is to let down your net. By not seeking the kingdom of God first is to choose to not let down your net. The majority of issues individuals face today is because they simply will not seek His kingdom first; they don’t let down their net in trust of Him and His Word.
William Howe, Ph.D.
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