The gospel of Luke records in chapter 5 verses 1-11 the
remarkable story of how Jesus called His first followers.
The
story begins as Jesus is by the lake
of Galilee early one
morning teaching the crowds about God from the scriptures.
The crowds were really pushing against Jesus who noticed
some fishermen on the beach washing out their nets from what had obviously been
an unsuccessful night of fishing.
The two boats were in the water near the shore.
Jesus got into one of the boats whose owner was named Simon
and asked Simon to row out a little into the sea where Jesus continued to teach
the crowd.
After Jesus finished teaching the crowds, Jesus makes an
unusual request of Simon.
Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a
catch!
Now you and I are probably a lot like Simon. Listen to what
Simon replied:
"Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!
But at Your Word I will let down the nets."
I think perhaps Simon thought the new Rabbi should stick to
explaining the Torah and religious things. Simon knew fishing and some times no
matter how hard or long you work, the fish aren't going to be where the nets
will capture them.
After Simon let down the nets there were so many fish that
Simon had to yell for the other boat to come out and help as the net was
tearing apart !!
Seeing this miraculous catch of fish, Simon you would think
might have exclaimed to his friends: Wow look at this!! Jesus, You've made my
day- would you like to become one of my fishing partners ?
But this was not the response of Simon.
Instead Simon got on his knees and said:
Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Jesus told Simon and his two partners who had come to help
with the catch:
Do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching
men.
When they had reached the shore with this huge catch of
fish, the men left everything and followed Jesus.
Today as I was meditating on this story , I reviewed in my
mind the many times I have been out fishing for men and come back with none who
have done like I did 40 years ago when I too fell at the feet of Jesus and said
I am a sinner ; and Jesus didn't believe that was the way I would remain and
spoke the words that set my heart aflame : follow Me, Ann. I came to save
sinners.
I'm continuing to let down my net. Jesus is in the boat.
Here is how I pray over the names of the people over the
last ten years I have met on the social media: the words of Jesus.
John 6:44 ESV
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws
him ; and I will raise him up on the last day.
Father God, it's for Your own glory that You have given to
sinful man the gift of eternal life- to know You and your eternal son Jesus
messiah.
Call now the souls I see in my prayers from Algeria, Sudan,
Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan,
China, Gaza,
Syria, Iraq and Egypt.
May the light of the knowledge of the glory of of God as
seen in the face of Jesus messiah shine on these my friends!
May they hear the good news about the God who calls, saves
and sets apart those who are His.
Thank you Jesus for living a perfect life of obedience to
the will of God, taking on human flesh, dying as a sin offering for my sins ,
resurrecting to new life and calling me to life from the dead.
My gratitude for these free Bible images to this ministry.
