Let down your nets

Luk 5:4  Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 

Luk 5:5  And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 

Luk 5:6  And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 

Luk 5:7  And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 

Luk 5:8  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 

Jesus had started His ministry, He had been going and preaching and teaching by Himself up to this point. He has already gone through the temptations and the Baptism of John, He had been rejected in Nazareth already, now He is going out and about.

Peter ,who was a disciple of John the Baptist was at the baptism of Jesus, so he was aware of who Jesus was and knew John revered Him so He listened to Christ.

However. take note that Jesus said let down your nets, Peter obeyed but only let down one net.

Peter knew Christ, respected Him, and listened to Him but not fully.

He had a head knowledge but not a heart knowledge as yet.

His (Peter's) net was nigh to breaking because he did not let down the "nets", he needed help getting the catch in because he was not fully prepared for the blessing God had for him. His fellow fisherman had to come over and drop their nets to catch the over fill so that both ships were close to sinking.

Peter for all his faults, at least listened to Christ, did obey, even though it seemed futile as they had no return on their hard nights work to this point.

How many of us will listen and go out after all day or all night working for the harvest and having no catch to show?

Would we say I am too tired? What's the point? You can't be serious I was just there! Or would we half heartedly comply?

How many of us in the face of rejection, in the full course of an empty harvest, would be willing to go back and say yes Lord and fully comply?

Many times we get dis-spirited after an hour or two, that to go back out there at the Spirit's prompting to where we had just "wasted" time would be folly in our opinion.

Christ knew where the fish were that are ready for the harvest. Christ knows the hearts and minds of men. He knows when the time is right to let down the nets.

There are so many lessons in this one section, The call of Christ, His Omniscience, Half-hearted obedience, The rewards of obedience, the fellowship of the brethren and their assistance.

Peter ,upon seeing the miracle, asked Jesus to depart from Him for he (Peter) was a sinful man. Peter saw his half-hearted obedience, and the results of the extra hard work in not obeying fully. Peter was a sinful man, not just in that moment but in nature, as are we all, and recognized fully whose presence he was in. He went from calling Christ master (Rabbi) to Lord.

Christ had a plan and it would have gone so much smoother had Peter not leaned on what he knew as a fisherman , instead had he fully trusted in Christ's Plan it would have been so much easier, perhaps so much more fulfilling.

Let it not be said of us that we obeyed with token obedience at best.

Let it not be said that we were not prepared for the bounty of the Lord's blessing.

Let it not be said of us that we thought we knew more than the Spirit.

Let it not be said of us that we grew weary in well doing.

Let it not be said by us, what if we had just listened?

Let it be said of us that we obeyed the Father and had to have our brethren come help us bring in the harvest for the blessings of the Lord abounded.

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.