Luke 5:5

New International Version

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

For Meditation

God’s glory is remarkable when He reveals it to us, and it fills us with awe and wonder. 

Jacob said he did not know that God could be everywhere when he saw the glory of God at Bethel (Genesis 28:16). “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven” (17). He received the promises of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, which became his life and confidence in his journey. His  ten percent pledge of everything he would make on his journey was a clear outcome of his renewed confidence in the Omnipresent God (18-22). From then on, Jacob surrendered to the will of God and depended on Him throughout his life.

The Horeb experience transformed Moses from a dejected royal (Hebrews 11:24) to a scholar in Egyptian wisdom, “powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22). He had become a fugitive and a shepherd, stripped of all self-confidence. However, when he saw God’s glory on Mt. Horeb, it transformed him into an influential leader and deliverer of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery (Exodus 3:1-4:17).

Isaiah cried out in confession of his sinfulness. He surrendered to the call of the exalted God as a prophet to Israel (Isaiah 6:1-13).

Peter, similarly, confessed his sinfulness when he saw the glory of the Lord revealed in the outrageous catch on the shore of Lake Gennesaret. He abandoned his life to Jesus, walked away from his business, and followed Jesus (Luke 5:1-11).

It made no human sense to the experienced fisherman when the Lord told him to cast his net into the deep for a catch in broad daylight (4-5).

“But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

The glory of the Lord beamed through the bumper catch of fish because of his obedience, and it overwhelmed him. 

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell to Jesus’s knees and said: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.” (8)

He left everything and followed Jesus and died a martyr for His name’s sake.

Though they had to learn along the way, they riveted their faith in the Lord. They committed to His call, showing their dedication and commitment to God’s plan.

They lived in Christ and brought glory to the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. Their life mantra was simple yet profound: ‘Lord, I don’t get it, but because you say so, I will do it. ‘This unwavering surrender and obedience to God’s call is a powerful example for us. 

As we reflect on the lives of these four men, they prompt us to ask ourselves some questions. Is our mantra, “Lord, I don’t get it, but because you say so, I will do it?” After seeing the glory of the Lord in the face of Jesus on the day of our salvation, what life-changing effect does it have on us? Does His life become ours as we submit to His Lordship? Can the world believe in our witness because they see Christ in our decisions and actions? That’s our challenge today.

Shalom