Here is Pastor Karen's devotion today:
Good morning!
“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch,” Jesus says to his soon to be disciple Simon, the one they call “Peter.”
And Peter answers, “Master, we have worked all night long and caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
The fisherman calls Jesus “Master,” though we don’t know if he even knew Jesus before this conversation. We know, however, that he did not yet know the true identity of Jesus and had not yet seen his miracles. Still he showed respect to Him and trusted Him enough to reply, essentially, “I don’t think it is going to work, but since you say to do this, I will.”
This teeny bit of faith-enough to obey—is enough to bring about a miracle that reveals to him Jesus’ real identity as the Christ, the Son of God. Peter and his partners let down their nets and they catch so many fish that their nets begin to break!
This miracle amazes Peter and his partners, experienced fishermen who knew that this kind of thing never happened. One never fished all night long and caught nothing, and then suddenly caught so many that the nets couldn’t hold them all. It just didn’t happen—unless there was a supernatural power at work.
Peter falls to his knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
This awareness and acknowledgement of Christ’s divinity and one’s own sinful humanity is what opened Peter to hear and respond to the call of Christ. Peter would no longer be a “fisherman”; he would be a “fisher of people,” as Jesus said.
Has this happened to you, yet? Have you heard Christ’s call to be a fisher of people?
If you are feeling unworthy of the task, then you most likely have heard Christ’s call—and understand just how difficult it is to follow the Lord in a world that tells us to live only for ourselves. How much easier it is to respond, “It’s not my problem,” when you consider the overwhelming needs of this broken world—people who live in wartorn places, people who have terrible home lives and no hope for tomorrow, and people who are desperately poor and literally starving to death.
Don’t be afraid! Don’t feel overwhelmed. You are not alone. There are many, many Christians seeking to follow Him! We are in this together.
And this is the Lord’s project—we are only the laborers. He will direct and empower us, if we trust in Him – and are willing to obey, even when we have doubts—like Peter, the fisherman who became a fisher of people after one life-changing encounter with the divine.
Will you pray with me?
Holy God, we are sinful people who cannot understand, at times, why you have chosen us to do Your work or how we can possibly do it. But despite our self-doubts, we are convinced that You are the only Way to salvation and that we must serve and worship you all of our lives in response to your call. Grant us the peace of Christ so we may trust that Your Spirit is working in us and will be faithful to lead us in Your will. Forgive us if we have been reluctant to obey in the past and have given into fear and self doubts. Thank you for your steadfast love for us, your patience, and for forgiving us of all our sins through Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.
Today’s readings are Hosea 2:14-23; Acts 20:17-38; Luke 5:1-11; and Psalm 89:1-18.
Blessings in Christ!
Pastor Karen
Good morning!
“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch,” Jesus says to his soon to be disciple Simon, the one they call “Peter.”
And Peter answers, “Master, we have worked all night long and caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
The fisherman calls Jesus “Master,” though we don’t know if he even knew Jesus before this conversation. We know, however, that he did not yet know the true identity of Jesus and had not yet seen his miracles. Still he showed respect to Him and trusted Him enough to reply, essentially, “I don’t think it is going to work, but since you say to do this, I will.”
This teeny bit of faith-enough to obey—is enough to bring about a miracle that reveals to him Jesus’ real identity as the Christ, the Son of God. Peter and his partners let down their nets and they catch so many fish that their nets begin to break!
This miracle amazes Peter and his partners, experienced fishermen who knew that this kind of thing never happened. One never fished all night long and caught nothing, and then suddenly caught so many that the nets couldn’t hold them all. It just didn’t happen—unless there was a supernatural power at work.
Peter falls to his knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
This awareness and acknowledgement of Christ’s divinity and one’s own sinful humanity is what opened Peter to hear and respond to the call of Christ. Peter would no longer be a “fisherman”; he would be a “fisher of people,” as Jesus said.
Has this happened to you, yet? Have you heard Christ’s call to be a fisher of people?
If you are feeling unworthy of the task, then you most likely have heard Christ’s call—and understand just how difficult it is to follow the Lord in a world that tells us to live only for ourselves. How much easier it is to respond, “It’s not my problem,” when you consider the overwhelming needs of this broken world—people who live in wartorn places, people who have terrible home lives and no hope for tomorrow, and people who are desperately poor and literally starving to death.
Don’t be afraid! Don’t feel overwhelmed. You are not alone. There are many, many Christians seeking to follow Him! We are in this together.
And this is the Lord’s project—we are only the laborers. He will direct and empower us, if we trust in Him – and are willing to obey, even when we have doubts—like Peter, the fisherman who became a fisher of people after one life-changing encounter with the divine.
Will you pray with me?
Holy God, we are sinful people who cannot understand, at times, why you have chosen us to do Your work or how we can possibly do it. But despite our self-doubts, we are convinced that You are the only Way to salvation and that we must serve and worship you all of our lives in response to your call. Grant us the peace of Christ so we may trust that Your Spirit is working in us and will be faithful to lead us in Your will. Forgive us if we have been reluctant to obey in the past and have given into fear and self doubts. Thank you for your steadfast love for us, your patience, and for forgiving us of all our sins through Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.
Today’s readings are Hosea 2:14-23; Acts 20:17-38; Luke 5:1-11; and Psalm 89:1-18.
Blessings in Christ!
Pastor Karen
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