Nevertheless, I will
I was reading in Luke 5:4-6 the other day. Jesus had been speaking to crowds from in a boat belonging to Simon Peter. When He stopped addressing the crowds, He said to Simon Peter, “Launch out in the deep and let down your nets for a catch”. 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”. The passage goes on to say, “And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking”.
Note what took place here. Jesus tells Simon to go out in the lake and drop his nets for a catch. Simon explains that they had fished all night and caught nothing. Yet, he then speaks the operative words “nevertheless, at Your Word, I will let down the net!” Simon offered logic, but CHOSE to obey even when the request seemed illogical. He acted out of the belief that Jesus knew what he didn’t and Jesus could be trusted even when it didn’t seem reasonable to do so! You don’t see hesitation to obey; you don’t hear arguments; Simon Peter simply does what he is directed to do!
I am NOT often like Simon Peter. I hesitate to obey; I argue for or from my persepctive; I loudly exclaim when things applear illogical or unreasonable in the face of godly directives. Yet, note also, the result ofSimon Peter’s obedience-a catch of fish so large the nets were threatening to break! (Question: What were the chances those nets would really break and the fish escape? Answer: No chance at all with Jesus calling the shots!). His obedience brought reward. GOD promises reward for obedience. The Book of Joshua is all about that truth; the Book of Job is all about that; The Books of James and Peter contain much of the same truth.
Why do I revert so often to human logic, to human nature (I can do it my way, GOD!) in the face of directives from the Word of God? Why can’t I be like Simon Peter and obey immediately choosing, even in the face of what deosn’t seem even possible, to say “nevertheless, at Your Word, I will (fill in the blank)!
So, today, I make a choice to strive, by Holy Spirit power, by choice of my will, to obey at his Word and trust Him for the oucome. After all, with men it is ipossible, but with GOD, all things are possible. Let’s take Him at His Word!
