What if I suggested that Jesus was not as committed to your need to feel secure as you think He is? What if I told you that He was actually calling you out to a place that holds much more for you than where you currently are? Would you give me the time of day if I refused to stop declaring that Jesus is leading you into the deeper places? Here’s what He spoke to me early this morning.
“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.” – Luke 5:3-6
It is an immeasurable privilege when Jesus chooses to board our little ship. The Master determines that He has a good word to say, something true to offer, some helpful work to perform – and He welcomes us to play some small part. He asks us to push out a little from the safety of our shoreline. No need to worry, Jesus only asked Simon to “put out a little from the land”. Jesus would not, at this juncture, be taking Simon too far away from where Simon was. Not only was it an offer for Simon to get in on what Jesus wanted to do, it was a test to see if Simon would merge his own desire with the request of the Master. We see that this commissioning took place when Simon was weary and tired, having fished all night with no results to speak of. Is it not like the Lord to come to us when we have spent our own strength, and to ask us to push on a little farther?
To his credit, Simon complied and led his boat, with Jesus on board, a little ways out from the shore so Jesus could teach the crowd. Simon waited, listened and seemingly sat still while Jesus completed all that He had designed to do in that moment. Then, Jesus turns and asks Simon to go on a little farther. Whereas before He had asked the big fisherman to “put out a little from the land”, His next request demands more of Simon when Jesus commands him to “put out into the deep”.
Go farther. Distance yourself more from the shoreline of ease. Launch out more deeply with Me. I am in your boat, so do not fear. Listen to Me a little longer and go with Me where I want to go. Trust Me a little more.
This is the call from Jesus to each of us.
Simon obeyed, with a small protest, the desire of Jesus. He expressed His skepticism that “the deeper” would hold anything worthwhile for him. He seemed to say to Jesus, “I’ve already been where you are telling me to be again. I’ve put in the work. I’ve tried that before. Nothing came from my attempts last night. Nevertheless, to honor You, I will comply and launch out a little deeper.”
Simon would soon be glad that he did so.
Jesus filled Simon’s nets that day. Then Jesus filled Simon’s boat. When Simon’s boat became insufficient to hold the blessing, Jesus filled another boat. Jesus did in an instant what Simon could not do in a whole night of fishing. Jesus brought blessing through Simon’s obedient trust. Simon would not have brought in that haul of fish if Jesus had left him on the shoreline. There would have been no miraculous catch if Simon had not moved on from that place that was just a little way out from the shore. Simon had to follow Jesus out into the deeper place in order to experience all that his Lord had in store for him. What a beautiful lesson for all of us who want experience the best that the Son of God has for us. Shorelines are certainly safer than the seas, but there is no great catch there. Pushing out a little from the security of the sands is a good thing, but that is not where Jesus intends to leave us. It is when we launch out farther into the deep that we experience His full design for our lives. He calls us out a little farther today. He wants to fill our nets. He wants to fill our boats. He wants our boats to spill into other boats that He has summoned out a little farther. Jesus has something amazing for you, but it isn’t resting on the shoreline.
Launch out with Him a little farther today. Your life will become full. There is safety on the shore…but the nets are empty there.
Hello Jeff, perhaps we could have lunch one day. I would like the opportunity to get to know you a little and perhaps vice versa. I do agree with you on several issues, one being that the times are changing for us, “Christians” , Jews and probably non-believers also. The days of Mayberry in the south are pretty much over, and well, actions are now needed.
My wife Lisa and I have attended a few times and we have been looking for a new Church home, someplace where the message and the actions are bold and of truth and less of tradition. I agree that we are of one body now, and it seems that you and Meadow may be a good fit for us That is if we can be fit into any congregation. We may not be square pegs but we probably aren’t round either.