From the Edges – SO MUCH MORE – Push Out into the Deep

From the Edges – Morning Devotions
Pastor Calvin Cook – 4-26-24
PUSH OUT INTO THE DEEP
DAY 5 – SO MUCH MORE
Luk 5:9-11 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 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.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

There was and is so much more happening in these verses about the response to the miraculous catch of fish that these well experienced fisherman had just experienced. This catch wasn’t the result of their knowledge or experience about being fisherman. If you read a couple verses earlier, Simon is resisting the call of Jesus to experience the new thing that was about to happen. Here we see the example of Jesus showing up and about to do something extra ordinary and Simon Peter was about to miss it, because of his own mindset and what he thought was correct.

There was surrender. Surrendering to and setting aside, earlier experiences, pre-conceived thoughts, and control. Jesus was about to do something new that would take surrender! The question for us, when Jesus shows up and offers us something new do we receive or make every excuse why we can’t.

Notice that this catch of fish was not just for Simon Peter, but also for James and John, the three of them being long time fishing partners. This miracle affected others. There is so much more to realize in this story and in what Jesus is doing. It is not just about us or me. The receiving of all that Jesus is doing will affect others. In this case all of humanity from that moment throughout history would be affected. Even you and I should be driven by the idea that these regular ordinary men, received and then distributed. In this case they were the first to be called to be shareholders in the spreading of the Gospel.

Friends there is so much more, than Jesus showing up and meeting our needs, or answering our prayer. There must be a response on our part to all that is God inspired and delivered in our life, that response is to show Jesus. That response is to cast aside the things that are keeping us stuck in the things of the world into the realm of Jesus and the power of the cross. May Jesus be glorified in all that we do.