From the Edges – Morning Devotional Push Out Into the Deep- Recognize

From the Edges – Morning Devotional
DAY 1 – PUSH OUT INTO THE DEEP – Recognizing
Monday, April 22, 2024
Pastor Calvin Cook
Scripture focus – Luke 5: 1-3 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

As mentioned in last evening’s thoughts and devotionals. The Holy Spirit has spoken mightily through his word from Luke 5 of the need to push out into the deep. In order to realize the need and the call of Jesus to push out into the deep, there is a need to first be able to recognize the why and the how. Our first step becomes recognition.

Recognizing the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We have grown accustomed to hanging out in our personal life and certainly in all facets of life, family, community, church, business, in what has become comfortable to us. We have remained in the shallow waters and not heard the call of Jesus to go deeper, to trust, to believe, and allow the move of God to take place.

Before we jump in headfirst and become victims of drowning and burning out let us look at the scripture this morning. Jesus was the example, the teacher, verse 1 paints a vivid picture of Jesus with a large crowd of people not telling clever stories and hyped-up displays of genuine relationship. Jesus was teaching from scripture and the people were listening. As we “push out into the deep” we must be thoroughly grounded in God’s word. Notice Jesus didn’t say “go home and read your Bibles”, he was in a fellowship, and they were together. There is security in community with people who have your best interest at hand.

Jesus was noticing his surroundings. He was contextualizing within his environment to use something the people understood to have greater meaning that would change their lives. In this case Jesus recognized he was in a fishing environment. Simon Peter who he refers to in this scripture was a fisherman, Jesus was relating to him in his own environment. Jesus was challenging Peter to do something different. Something that Peter thought he knew everything about was about to change.

While engaging Simon Peter he continued to preach and teach. Little did Simon Peter know his whole life was about to change. But there had to be recognition. I can only imagine what might have been going through Simon Peters mind. Probably the same thing that is going through our minds right now. Jesus was about to change Simon Peter’s life and right now Jesus is about to change our lives as well, but it will take two things. Recognizing Jesus as God, recognizing and listening to how the Holy Spirit wants to speak in our lives. Following the instructions of Jesus beginning with grounding ourselves in the word.

The last part is so important. Jesus met the people where they were. Jesus will meet you where you are. Can you trust that? Wherever you are, whatever you are going through, Jesus is right there ministering to you through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Are you listening? Are you responding to this call? Are you getting ready to move into the best life possible.

Prayer this morning – Jesus, surround me with your holy presence, Amen