Take Off the Limits

The night before Jesus stepped into his boat, Simon Peter, along with the men in his fishing cooperative, had spent an unsuccessful night fishing. The nets that had trawled the bottom of the lake had felt heavy when they were lifted, but when checked they contained everything else but fish. It was not the first time and it would not be the last. On this morning the nets were cleaned, washed, and if needed, repaired. The men would have been tired and exhausted. There was no catch to sell that day so it was a chance for them to rest, regroup, and perhaps go back out later.

However, what they had in mind had to wait because according to the narrative, Jesus asked to use Peter's boat from which He would teach the people that had gathered to hear "the word of God" (Luke 5:1-3). "Now when He had left speaking, He said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught" (v.4). In the natural, there were at least two things wrong with those instructions. First, Peter's immediate protest was valid, "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing" (v.5a). The unasked question being, "Why should we go back out there?" Secondly, experienced fishermen knew that the best time for a catch was in the late evening and early morning hours. It was in these cool hours that fish cruised in the shallow water looking for food on or near the surface. Jesus' instructions ran counter to that.

Amidst Peter's logical objection, and what may have been going through his mind at the time, was a realization of who was speaking to him. He continued, "Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net" (v.5b). In verses 6-11, we have the rest of the story that resulted. An important observation is that by letting down one net, instead of “the nets” as instructed, Peter placed limits on his miracle. What does all of this have to do with us? Often times when we look at our circumstances, our minds, based on our previous experiences, tell us what is possible and what is not. At this stage, it is easy to object to an instruction from God because it does not line up with our experiences. Yet we are reminded that His ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts. In other words, His ways of doing things can be and often is much different from anything we could imagine.

 In the same way that Peter righted himself and took Jesus at His word, we can do the same thing too. For it is not the way we see, feel, or think that is important; it is what He says and our obedience to His instructions that is. We, however, can take it one step further and take off the limits we put on God. When He moves, there is not enough room to hold the blessing (see Ephesians 3:20). Just ask Peter.