Simon has been observing Jesus for a while. News has been circulating regarding the many miraculous signs & wonders, some Simon observed firsthand.
So, though fishing was the one thing Simon knew well, He was willing to respond to Jesus’ "nonsensical" request "to put out into the deep water" with…“But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” (Lk 5:5)
When it resulted in a miraculous catch of fish, nearly sinking both boats, Simon suddenly had an "ah-ha" moment, recognizing who's presence he was actually in. Being face-to-face with the holiness of Jesus only illuminated Simon’s own unbearable state of sinfulness.
Yet, Jesus didn’t honor Simon’s initial request to leave and let him be. He saw beyond the Simon standing before him that day. He knew Simon’s character, who Simon, in God’s strength, would become. So instead, He assures Simon that not only was everything going to be okay but that Jesus came specifically for him, and was calling him to follow Him. Jesus was asking him to abandon life as he knew it and to learn from Jesus who would teach him about a life that "catches mankind."
Simon’s response? He left behind his boat and everything else and followed Jesus.
What an awesome proposition. And yet it’s the same proposition Jesus gives to us today. Do we want to continue on, doing life the way we’ve always done it? Or are we ready to hand it all over to Jesus and follow Him, learning from him about a life lived to “catch mankind” bringing hope, healing, rescue and restoration to a broken and hurting world.
Here’s what intrigues me: Like Simon, we think we see the whole picture and that we understand what we ought to expect out of any given situation, but the reality is that our view of things is so very limited. When we seek to live and make decisions from our "undersized" perspective, we can end up missing what God is not only capable of but wants to do in, around and through our lives.
love ya!
So, though fishing was the one thing Simon knew well, He was willing to respond to Jesus’ "nonsensical" request "to put out into the deep water" with…“But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” (Lk 5:5)
When it resulted in a miraculous catch of fish, nearly sinking both boats, Simon suddenly had an "ah-ha" moment, recognizing who's presence he was actually in. Being face-to-face with the holiness of Jesus only illuminated Simon’s own unbearable state of sinfulness.
Yet, Jesus didn’t honor Simon’s initial request to leave and let him be. He saw beyond the Simon standing before him that day. He knew Simon’s character, who Simon, in God’s strength, would become. So instead, He assures Simon that not only was everything going to be okay but that Jesus came specifically for him, and was calling him to follow Him. Jesus was asking him to abandon life as he knew it and to learn from Jesus who would teach him about a life that "catches mankind."
Simon’s response? He left behind his boat and everything else and followed Jesus.
What an awesome proposition. And yet it’s the same proposition Jesus gives to us today. Do we want to continue on, doing life the way we’ve always done it? Or are we ready to hand it all over to Jesus and follow Him, learning from him about a life lived to “catch mankind” bringing hope, healing, rescue and restoration to a broken and hurting world.
Here’s what intrigues me: Like Simon, we think we see the whole picture and that we understand what we ought to expect out of any given situation, but the reality is that our view of things is so very limited. When we seek to live and make decisions from our "undersized" perspective, we can end up missing what God is not only capable of but wants to do in, around and through our lives.
love ya!
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