Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. Luke 5:3-6
Jesus desires to share and teach His words of Everlasting Life. He wants to sit in the boat of our life and reveal His Kingdom and our participation in it. Unfortunately all too often and quickly we can be stubborn. Before really listening, we are tempted to tell the Lord our plans, our desires, and reveal our notion of the Kingdom. We are tempted to tell Jesus, “I want to do it my way!” Or like in the Gospel reading above, we can grow frustrated with challenges or lack of results in our lives. We might even say to Jesus, “I’ve already done it my way Lord, what makes you think your way will have any more success!” Yet, through it all, the Lord asks us to trust! He invites us to put out into the deep water and lower our nets. Trust that He does indeed have a PLAN for you and for me, a PLAN that gives new life and new life in abundance. A PLAN that although it will bring with it a Cross, it will provide us with more than we can ever imagine or hope. I pray that when we are tempted to think, we know better or when we grow weary in trying to do it our way, we not forget Jesus’ invitation to trust, trust Him by going into the deep and lowering our nets for a catch!
