Having no idea

Day 85
OT Reading: Joshua 16-18
NT Reading: Luke 5:1-16


Following Jesus' request here would have been a bit of a joke. In fact, it's almost ridiculous what He asked Peter to do. Allow me to explain.


Not sure if you caught it, but back in verse two we see that the men were washing their nets. While this may not sound like much, it was a process that took hours worth of time to complete. But it had to be done...otherwise in the short-term the nets would not be clean for the following night, and in the long-term the continual lack of care could ruin the nets. And after washing the nets once, you certainly wouldn't want to have to do it again.

If Peter obeys Jesus, that's exactly what he'll have to do.

Then there was the fact that Peter had been fishing all his life. It's quite possible that Peter even came from generations of men who fished on these very same waters; passing down tricks and trade secrets to those next in line. Peter would have known when and where to fish. And he would have certainly known that you fish at night, not during the day. He also would have known that you fish in shallower waters, not deep waters. Jesus obviously had not been out on many fishing trips. And honestly, Jesus had been a carpenter. If Peter had a question about building a table, Jesus would have been the one to go to. But fishing? This was Peter's game.

And yet, Jesus told Peter, "Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch." (Luke 5:4, NIV)

And really, Peter had no idea what rested upon this decsion about whether or not to follow Jesus. He had no idea that thousands of years later we'd be reading a story about him cleaning his nets. Peter had no idea that people all over the world would name their kids after him. He had no idea that giant cathedrals would be built in his honor. He had no idea that cities would bear his name. He had no idea that he would be one of the first leaders in a history-changing paradigm-shifting world-wide movement. At this point Peter had no idea that any of that was going to take place.

And yet, without any certainty of the result, without any proof of God's activity, without the request making any sense, Peter replied to Jesus, "But because you say so, I will let down the nets." (Luke 5:5, NIV)

When in your life have you felt God calling you to move in a way that just didn't make sense? When has everything in you screamed for absolute proof that things would turn out? When has God asked you to step out on faith, even when you had no idea of the result? When have you been wiling to say, "God it doesn't make se. I don't get it. But because you say so...I'll do what you ask." Because the fact is, you have no idea the impact that one decision may have.