These guys had a bad, bad day fishing! They tried everything! Every spot that usually produced! And all night! They knew what they were doing after all … experienced commercial fishermen. Hard, hard work for nothing! That’s right, nothing!
So here they are; discouraged, frustrated, and perhaps a little surly. They’re washing their nets and this guy shows up (with a crowd yet)! He wants to use one of their boats to address the crowd. Simon, who owns the boat, agrees to let him use it… but continues to wash his nets while the guy speaks… Quite a speaker – pretty interesting – captivating actually!
Then it happens… He finishes speaking and speaks to Simon. “Simon,” he says, “put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Talk about gall! The guy may be a good speaker… But He sure is no fisherman (his timing is wrong – no sense of fishing strategy at all!)!
Simon responds to the teacher… “We’ve toiled all night and caught nothing! Nothing!! But ok, at your word I’ll give it a try.”
And then it happened… Miracle stuff!! Incredible! Suddenly the nets are full – I mean FULL! So full the nets are about to burst! Simon calls to his partners for help! They come with their boats… they fill up both boats – so full the boats are about to sink with fish! Never in all their lives could they remember anything like it! What a catch! Gotta be a miracle!!
Who is this guy anyway? Simon falls to his knees before Jesus and blurts out, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” And Jesus? …He says to Simon, DON’T BE AFRAID; FROM NOW ON YOU WILL BE CATCHING MEN!”
They’d talk about that miracle for years! The Bible says, when they got to land “THEY LEFT EVERYTHING AND FOLLOWED JESUS!” (From Luke 5:1-11)
One of the lessons that came to mind today as I re-read this story? The power of a life-transforming miracle… No, more than that – miracles often end up transforming several lives!
Ever had one? Ever seen one? I have! GOD’S MIRACLES ARE MORE THAN SIMPLY FASCINATING… THEY’RE LIFE TRANSFORMING!
Coffee With The Lord 