The Risk of Obeying God

“Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ 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.’ When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, ‘Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.’ When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.” Luke 5:1-11

Once Jesus finished speaking to the crowd from the bow of Peter’s boat, He turned to the brawny fisherman and said: “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). Certainly, the idea seemed intriguing to Peter, but was it plausible? He was a leader - a man others turned to for wisdom concerning the sea. Jesus’ request appeared preposterous, if not crazy. No one fished in the Sea of Galilee during daytime. It was done at night and in shallow water.

Yet Peter obediently responded: “Master...I will do as You say and let down the nets.” Disregarding the questionable looks of his peers, Peter raised the ship’s sails and headed out into deep water. The result of his obedience was a great abundance of fish, so many that the nets began to break and the boat began to sink.

What has God placed His finger on in your life that requires you to launch out into the deep? Is it a new job, a relationship that needs healing, and unmet goal? Remember, Peter wasn’t alone in the boat and neither are you. Jesus sailed out there with him. So raise the sails of you life, put out into the deep, and prepare for a huge catch.