Re:Verse reading–Luke 5:1-11 (day six)
Simon answered, “Master,we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets.” Luke 5:6
The experts were done, spent. They had worked the whole night through with nothing to show for it. Not to mention they were exhausted; their bodies ached, and they were likely very disheartened. They had reached their limit. But Jesus pressed for more.
When Jesus presses us for more (passed our limit), we often experience the extraordinary. We see God do a work we otherwise could not do on our own. We experience blessings we could not have foreseen. It is in moments like these that we realize we should have been following and listening to Jesus the whole time, not just when we’ve pushed ourselves to the limit.
That’s the lesson Peter, James, and John learned. They left everything and followed Jesus. Have you? If not, don’t be surprised if he nudges you passed your limit.
From what seemed to be reluctant to submission and obedience to Jesus, Peter received God’s blessing through a magic catch. This is a good obedience!
We choose whom we want to follow and to obey as there are consequences for following and obeying bad commands. We follow and obey those we admire, respect and love in general.
As good citizens, we follow and obey the laws of the land; as good employees, we follow and obey rules and policies and operations guidelines from workplace leadership; as good children in a home, we follow and obey our parents’ instructions because our parents love us. In worshiping, we follow and obey God’s commands because we trust and believe in God’s love for us through Christ Jesus.
Obedience to those with legitimate power and authority brings rewards which can free us from worrying of making mistakes, bring joy and peace to our daily lives. Disobedience to a legitimate authority surely brings chaos, penalties or judgments to our daily lives.
There are good monetary, non-monetary, and spiritual values to obedience whichever we choose for our peace of mind and our satisfaction in earthly life. God, our Creator, has supreme power and authority over mankind and the earth and obedience to God’s commands will surely provide us with God’s blessings and freedom from fears.
We can learn from Peter in our walk to obedience with God. God taught us the value of obedience to a good one, Jesus, Son of God! Jesus submitted his life and obeyed God, the Father, to put our sins on him and to die for our sins on the cross so we can live in righteousness and be right in God’s eyes. If we do not love Jesus, trust and believe in Him, who else will we listen and follow to?
Life is about choices, rewards or consequences of our choices! Is that simple and wise to choose the path of obedience to God by listening to Jesus’ teachings and by following Jesus so we can enjoy freedom from fears and enjoy all the promises, now and future, that God will provide to His believers?
Blindly following Jesus is not a bad idea! I would not blindly listen and follow a wrong one, such as Satan. Having faith, trust and believing in Jesus will lead us to extraordinary rewards as Peter did experience with his magic catch of fish that he and his team was about to give up. How did you feel when you made the right choices and received rewards for your wise and Godly decision? What matters to you?