Trust in God’s Power – Luke 5:1

I was in India, conducting a Bible conference in the church of a friend.  When the conference was over the pastor told me some of his parishioners were wanting me to pray for them.  I knew what this was.  The visiting teacher must be more spiritual and have powerful access to God and we have needs for power.  I remember feeling nervous because I wasn’t expecting to be able to pray down healing or whatever was needed.  God decided to teach me something.  As the first person in line began telling the translator her request, God told me, in my mind, what it was about.  In awe, I realized God was wanting to demonstrate His power despite my lack of faith.

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.  (Luke 5:1-11 ESV)

Peter (Simon), James and John were fishermen but they had also been disciples of John the Baptist and now Jesus.  They did not follow him full time, however, until Jesus made this invitation to make them fishers of men.  At this point they left their businesses and the comfort of being in their homes and home town and began to travel with Jesus as he went from place to place in Israel preaching the gospel.

What set this off was Jesus’ request of Peter to launch out onto the Sea of Galilee (Gennesaret) to fish even though they had caught nothing all night before.  Jesus had been using their boat to teach from, but now he wanted to bless them with a catch and demonstrate the power of God to work in and through them.  Peter’s response of fear at being in the holy presence of God was justifiable and a testimony to his humility.  But Jesus told him not to be afraid.

What has God asked us to do as a way of blessing us and demonstrating His power in our lives?  Have we hesitated, like Peter, because it seemed absurd?  Have we seen His power in such a way that we have seen our own sinfulness, our lack of trust in God, more clearly?