Fishing with Jesus!

The Scriptures came to light today:
Luk 5:4  And as He stopped speaking, He said to Simon, Launch out into the deep and let your nets down for a haul. And answering, Simon said to Him, Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing. Yet at Your word I will let down the net.  And doing this, they enclosed a great multitude of fish. And their net was being torn. And they signaled the partners, those in the other boat, to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they were sinking. And seeing, Simon Peter fell at the knees of Jesus, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord. For he and all who were with him were astonished at the haul of fish which they had taken, 5:10  and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Do not fear, from now on you will be taking men alive.

This passage is very encouraging to me. I realize many times I am laboring without hearing a word from Jesus. And I wonder if that's the reason why many times I am "toiling the whole night", and not producing any results? Perhaps I have yet to develop that inner sense of continuously hearing His voice?

I am encouraged by this passage because I think it's lessons have multiple points of application, whether it be in ministry, family, or career.

Am I toiling without learning to hear His voice? And I think the answer is a resounding, YES! I am certainly doing all the toiling, and working from a sense of anxiety rather than from a motivation of thankfulness and grace.




So how do I go about learning to hear His voice?

I think firstly, I need to continue laboring. Only this time, I need to labor whilst keeping a ear out for His voice. This is an inner discipline of desiring to hear, and obey the voice of the Good Shepherd. And I have also learned something about the voice of the Good Shepherd - it often flies in the face of my reason, and context.

If we look at this passage, Simon Peter had already worked the waters, and there was no result. This time, the Master of the Universe, the One who created the waters and all that dwells therein, gave the command, and this time, when that Voice was heeded, the results were outstanding.

And that's how I would like to live my life - hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd, obeying Him, and enjoying His wonderful and awesome surprises as they come.