At Your Bidding

Luke 5:5 -- "And Simon answered and said, 'Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at Your bidding I will let down the nets.' "

image: Dave Clark - Back  Deck Blog - www.juneautek.com

The moon sat there, low to the Ocean - hovering over the fishing boats that rocked back and forth on calm seas. I could see them from my bedroom window high in the hills above Times Beach in Davao City, Philippines. Though the shore was miles away, the moon light offered up a beautiful scene. I'd managed to wake up at a horribly early hour and couldn't get back to sleep. The rest of the house stayed tucked away in their dreamy Z's - so I sat there quietly, looking out over the bay down below. Somewhere high in the Mango tree that hung over our back fence, a fruit bat squeaked and flapped it's wings - probably having a bit of juicy breakfast. But my attention was sternly on the fishing boats and the bright full moon.

Everything I know about fishing could probably fit in a thimble.  But I do remember that in the Davao Bay, no matter what time it was when I woke in the night - the boats were out there casting nets. ...And... when Peter first met Jesus, he mentioned that he'd been working through the night, throwing out his lines with his every effort. Each time Peter pulled the nets out of the water there was nothing to show for it. Not a single fish flopping around in confusion.

Suffice it to say - unlike me - Peter knew a great deal about fishing. He'd been doing it forever. He knew that the best place to fish was close to the shore - in the dark - when the fish come in to feed on whatever it is they can't find in the deep. In fact, Peter was a pro.

image: www.strangezoo.com

Which is why I can practically FEEL his frustration when Jesus approached in the wee hours of breaking sunlight. Peter had done everything right. He'd been in the right spot at the right time. But there was nothing to show for his diligence. He had to have been a little less than enthusiastic when the son of a carpenter gave him advise on how to fish. Not to mention - he was probably more than a little tired after casting and pulling in heavy nets all night long. So, I can totally understand it if Peter was a bit snippy when he told Jesus he'd been fishing for hours the right way - but, since Jesus told him to - he would go try it the way Jesus instructed.

In the middle of the lake. In the daylight.

I wasn't there, I don't really know if Peter felt snippy, but I think I would. There is nothing more frustrating than dotting all your I's and crossing all your T's, playing by every single rule in the book, and following the recipe directions precisely - only to be met with failure. Or maybe it's not even failure - maybe it just simply isn't rewarding.

However - like the cute little kitty says on the motivational poster, hang in there. Doing things God's way, the RIGHT way - will pay out when it's all said and done. Just remember Peter! After trying one more time - doing things the way Jesus said to do them, Simon Peter's nets came up full and heavy.

Yours will, too.