LAUNCH !!!
by Temaki Carr | October 14, 2014
Luke 5:4-10
4. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5. But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." 6. And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" 9. For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10. and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, " Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."
I am thinking a lot lately of Jesus's Command to Simon Peter to, "Launch Out to the Deep..."
What an audacious command from a visitor who happened to use the boat as a platform to speak to the crowds gathered around. Technically, Jesus was a carpenter, what did he know about launching out to the deep to let down nets to catch fish at that time of day?
My thoughts linger greatly upon Peter. What He thought? What He felt? His Reluctance to obedience. His decision to Yield to the Lord's Command.
What's interesting is that Jesus addresses specifically, Peter in this Command, "He turned to Peter and said...". That means that the Command was Personal. This was an assignment, an opportunity, divinely chosen, specially for Peter.
There were other Fishermen there at the water's edge as well, among them Peter's partners James and John, who coincidentally were called in later to help with the abundant catch. However, the inital Command was to Peter.
Ultimately, Peter could not pass the buck. He could not delegate the command. He could not reason himself out of the assignment. He could not linger upon the perceived terrible timing of the Directive. Although he considered his own judgement and technical expertise, Most notably, Peter chose to yield to Obey the Lord's Command. His emotional, physical, and intellectual process to obedience were minimized by the fact that HE OBEYED.
What he must have thought as he slowly began to push the boat from the water's edge. How he must have felt as the shore line grew smaller and the vastness of the Sea of Galilee grew larger as he directed the boat further into the Sea. What the onlookers must have said as they watched the amusing spectacle. How exhausted he must have been when the boat finally reached the exact spot where he would let the nets down. How ridiculous he and a helper or two must have felt as they lowered the nets into the sea. How could they have known that the visitor, carpenter, speaker was actually the Lord of Creation and when HE Calls even the fish answer.
What about You? Does the Lord Speak to You?
Is He Speaking/Commanding Your Obedience Now?
"Launch into the Deep..." is the Command I heed these Days.
My Small Boat, a Start-up, Little known Missions Ministry has left the safety of the Water's edge to Obey the Call of the Master. "Loving The Nations" is no longer a Dream in my Heart but a Working Reality in the hands of the Master.
My responsibility is OBEDIENCE - To First: Launch and Second: Let Down My Nets.
In other words, to (1) "Get In Position" and (2) "Have an Expectation".
The Remainder is Up to the LORD.
The Beautiful Principle of Peter's Launch Story is the fact that on that small boat was the Lord God Almighty! Ultimately, the Fish were not drawn to Peter or his nets but to the LORD himself. Peter's Boat became the Lord's platform, the vehicle for him to reach and draw the fish. There was nothing spectacular or glamorous about the boat, the nets, or Peter. It was the LORD who drew the abundant multitude of fish. It was the LORD that the fish rushed to encounter. When the Master Called, the Fish, even the Fish Obeyed.
Jesus Speakes to Me and You as He did to Peter so many years ago, " Be Not Afraid, From Now on You Will Be Fishers of Men."
For More information on "Loving The Nations" contact:
Missions@lovingthenations.org
or visit
http://www.lovingthenations.org
3 comments
