Luke 5:1-10: a reflection

1Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. 2He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night and caught nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.” 6When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking. 7They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.” 9For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”

After a long night of catching nothing, Simon Peter obeys Jesus' word to let down the nets once more, though it seems futile by his own experience; and the result is a catch so great the nets begin to break. Master, we worked all night and caught nothing, Peter says; but at your word I will let down the net. By his own experience and expertise as a fisherman, letting down the nets again in the daytime made no sense; they had toiled all night and caught nothing. But at Jesus' word, Peter obeyed anyway, trusting Christ's word over his own experience; and the catch was overwhelming. This shows the value of obeying Christ's word even when it seems unpromising by our own experience. Obey Christ's word even when it seems futile by your experience. Peter trusted Christ's word over his own expertise. At Christ's word, do what seems unpromising. Trusting Christ's word over our experience brings blessing.

Notice Peter's response and its ground. By everything Peter knew as an experienced fisherman, letting down the nets again, in daylight, after a fruitless night, was pointless; his experience told him it would yield nothing. And he says so honestly: we worked all night and caught nothing. But then he adds the words that matter: but at your word I will let down the net. He set Christ's word above his own experience and expertise, and obeyed, even though it seemed unpromising. And the result was a catch beyond anything his own efforts had produced. This teaches us something about trusting and obeying Christ's word. There are times when what Christ calls us to seems unpromising by our own reckoning, when our experience or expertise tells us it will not work, will yield nothing. In such times, we are called to trust Christ's word above our own reckoning, and obey, even when it seems futile. Christ's word is worth trusting over our own experience; and obeying it, even when it seems unpromising, is the way of faith. We do well to say, with Peter, at your word I will, even when our experience says otherwise. Trust Christ's word over your own experience and obey. At Christ's word, do what seems unpromising, trusting him. Obeying Christ's word above our reckoning is the way of faith. Christ's word is worth trusting even against our own experience.

That is worth taking to heart, for Christ's word is worth trusting and obeying even when it seems unpromising by our own experience, as Peter let down the nets at Christ's word after a fruitless night and caught more than ever. We can let our own experience or expertise be the final word, refusing what Christ calls us to because it seems futile by our reckoning; but Peter, though his experience said the nets would catch nothing, obeyed at Christ's word and was overwhelmed with the catch. Christ's word is worth trusting over our experience. When Christ calls you to something that seems unpromising, say with Peter, at your word I will, and obey. Trust and obey Christ's word even when it seems unpromising by your own experience, as Peter, after toiling all night and catching nothing, said to Jesus, master, we worked all night and caught nothing, but at your word I will let down the net, and obeyed, though by his expertise as a fisherman it made no sense, and the catch was so great the nets began to break; for there are times when what Christ calls us to seems unpromising by our own reckoning, when our experience or expertise tells us it will yield nothing, and in such times we are called to trust Christ's word above our own reckoning and obey even when it seems futile, since Christ's word is worth trusting over our own experience, and obeying it even when it seems unpromising is the way of faith, so that we do well to say with Peter, at your word I will, even when our experience says otherwise.

Lord Jesus, after a long night of catching nothing, Simon Peter obeys your word to let down the nets once more, though it seems futile by his own experience; and the result is a catch so great the nets begin to break. Master, we worked all night and caught nothing, Peter says; but at your word I will let down the net. By his own experience and expertise as a fisherman, letting down the nets again in the daytime made no sense; they had toiled all night and caught nothing. But at your word, Peter obeyed anyway, trusting your word over his own experience; and the catch was overwhelming. This shows the value of obeying your word even when it seems unpromising by my own experience. Show me Peter's response and its ground. By everything Peter knew as an experienced fisherman, letting down the nets again was pointless; his experience told him it would yield nothing. And he says so honestly. But then he adds the words that matter: but at your word I will let down the net. He set your word above his own experience, and obeyed, even though it seemed unpromising. And the result was a catch beyond anything his own efforts had produced. This teaches me about trusting and obeying your word. There are times when what you call me to seems unpromising by my own reckoning, when my experience tells me it will not work. In such times, I am called to trust your word above my own reckoning, and obey, even when it seems futile. Take that to my heart, for your word is worth trusting and obeying even when it seems unpromising by my experience. When you call me to something that seems futile by my reckoning, keep me from letting my own experience be the final word; help me say with Peter, at your word I will, Lord, and obey, trusting your word over my own experience even when it seems unpromising.