Even When It Doesn't Make Sense

Simon answered and said, Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets. Luke 5:5 (New American Standard Bible)

I love Simon Peter! Jesus has just told him to prepare for a miracle and Peter is giving him reasons why it won’t work. After an entire evening of fishing with zero results, Jesus tells Peter to drop the nets one more time. Simon has limited vision. Jesus sees and knows what Simon can’t imagine…a haul of fish so great that the nets will begin to break and two boats will be filled! But more than fish are caught that day. While Simon and the others are after fish, Jesus is after their hearts. When it was all said and done three would be disciples left everything and followed Him.

God wants the stories of Scripture to be more than interesting reading to us. With each encounter we witness He wants us to see ourselves and our situations within the story lines. There are times He will come to us with a request that does not make sense to us. Maybe it has to do with an area where we have failed in the past. Maybe it has to do with something we feel unqualified or unable to do. Maybe we hear the instructions but fail to see how it will ever work. Maybe we are filled with more doubt than faith because we can’t imagine God would actually be calling us to a position whereby He is preparing us for something great. It might be a long time desire of our heart and yet we begin to formulate all the reasons we don’t see it ever working.

But there is a combination in this story that encourages me today. Like a match and a stick of dynamite it is very affective when put together. After giving his opinion, Peter ends up doing what Jesus tells him to do. It is his cooperation that opens the door for a miracle. Like Peter, God is not calling us to understand it all or have it all figured out. There are times in our life when we know what God is suggesting, we see what it is He wants us to do, and in the end we must simply cooperate. It is okay to tell God how we feel, to give voice to our doubts and concerns. God understands our turmoil. But in the end our cooperation will join our hearts with His work and life will never be the same!

Sometimes faith has to lead the way and sometimes actions have to precede faith. I am not sure what was going through Peter’s mind when he finally did the very thing Jesus told him to do. His past experience told him it wouldn’t work, but his Creator told him it would. He had to learn what we all have to learn. It is Christ, not our feelings, not our opinions, not our experiences, that matters…even when it doesn’t make sense.

Father, You and I have had similar conversations. May today’s Scripture bring me that much closer to following You with abandon! Amen.

With All I Am - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.