From Luke 5:4–5 we read, “Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 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.”
IT’S TIME TO GO DEEPER! When I taught my kids to swim, they loved sitting on the pool steps. They laughed, splashed, and kicked their feet because the steps gave them confidence. I’d say, “Come on out a little farther. I’ll be right here.” Almost every time they’d come out a little way then head back toward the steps. Why? The steps were familiar. They could still touch bottom. Because the steps felt safe. The shallow end was comfortable. Going out into deeper water with dad required trust. Many Christians are the same way spiritually. We are saved, we attend church, and we love the Lord, but we still tend to stay close to the steps. We want enough of God to feel blessed, but not enough of God to lose control. We want to follow Jesus, as long as He keeps us in familiar water. But there comes a time in every believer’s life when Jesus says, “Let go of the steps and come out deeper with me!” That is where Peter found himself in our verses for today. He had fished all night and caught absolutely nothing. He was tired, discouraged, and ready to go home. The nets had been washed, the boat was near the shore, and as far as Peter was concerned, the fishing trip was over. Then Jesus stepped into his boat and gave him a command that seemed to make no sense: “Launch out into the deep.” Jesus taught Peter that day what meant to go deeper with Him…
1. GOING DEEPER BEGINS WHEN WE ADMIT OUR OWN EFFORTS AREN’T ENOUGH. Peter said, “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.” In other words, “Lord, we have worked hard. We have tried everything we know to do. We have used all our experience, all our knowledge, and all our strength, but our nets are still empty.” Peter was not lazy. He had been working all night. The problem was not a lack of effort. *The problem was that human effort alone could not produce what only Jesus could provide. I heard about a man who spent an entire Saturday trying to repair his lawn mower. He changed the spark plug, cleaned the carburetor, checked the fuel line, and pulled the starter cord until his arm was sore. Finally, he loaded it into his truck and took it to a repair shop. The mechanic walked over, looked at the mower, made one adjustment on a screw, pulled the cord, and it started on the first try. The man laughed and said, “I spent all day trying to fix what somebody who knew more than I did fixed in ten seconds.” Isn’t that just like us? We will worry, struggle, and exhaust ourselves trying to fix things on our own. Then, after we have tried everything else, we finally turn to the Lord. Sometimes God allows us to come to the end of our strength so we will learn to depend upon His. Sometimes He allows empty nets to remind us that our greatest need is not more effort, it is more of Him!
2. GOING DEEPER REQUIRES TRUSTING GOD WHEN HIS PLAN DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. Peter could have argued with the Lord. He could have said, “Jesus, I respect You as a teacher, but I know fishing. I have been doing this my entire life. The fish are not biting and they can only be caught in the shallows this time of year. We have already tried. This is not the right time, and that is not the right place.” Peter had plenty of reasons to say no, but instead he said, “Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” Several years ago, a family was traveling through the mountains when a thick fog settled over the road. The driver could barely see beyond the front of the car. Everyone became nervous except the grandfather sitting in the passenger seat. He had traveled that road many times before. Calmly, he told the driver, “Slow down, stay in your lane, and keep following the reflectors.” The driver could not see very far ahead, but he could see enough of the road to keep going forward slowly. That is often how God leads us. He does not always show us the whole journey. He simply gives us enough light to obey Him today. Faith is not knowing every turn in the road. Faith is trusting the One who already knows where the road leads. There will be times when God tells us to forgive when we would rather fight, to give when we would rather keep, to wait when we would rather run, to speak when we would rather remain silent, or to trust Him when nothing seems to make sense. We may not understand His plan, but we can always trust His wisdom. God has never made a mistake. He’s never said, “Oops, I messed up!” His commands may confuse us, but they always come from an all-wise and loving God.
3. GOING DEEPER ALWAYS LEADS TO BOATLOADS OF BLESSINGS. Peter finally said those wonderful words: “Nevertheless at thy word.” Notice that everything changed after Peter obeyed. The empty nets became overflowing nets. His discouragement turned into amazement. His failure became an opportunity for one of the greatest blessings of his life. Jesus did not just give Peter a few fish. The catch was so great that the net began to break, and the boats were so filled they began to sink. That is what happens when we stop arguing with God and start obeying God.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Could it be that Jesus is saying to you today, “It’s time to go deeper”? Maybe He is calling you into a deeper prayer life. Maybe He is inviting you to spend more time in His Word. Maybe He is asking you to serve, to witness, to forgive someone, to give Him His tithe, or to surrender something you have been holding on to for far too long. Perhaps you have been standing near the shore, watching others experience the blessings of obedience, while you remain in the safety of the shallows. Do not spend your life “leaning back on the steps” when Jesus is calling you into deeper water. Today, may each of us hear the voice of Jesus saying, “Launch out into the deep.” And may our answer be the same as Peter’s: “Nevertheless…at Thy word.” Think it over…🙏