Luke 5:1-11 (NRSV)
Read Luke 5:1-11 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 5Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, Verse 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Verse 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. Verse 4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Verse 5Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." Verse 6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. Verse 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. Verse 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" Verse 9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; Verse 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." Verse 11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
Devotion
After the disciples’ miraculous catch of fish, Luke 5 reports, “When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed [Jesus].” (5:11). This amazes me. It appears they left a small fortune in fish (not to mention their entire livelihood!) to follow Jesus.
I imagine passers-by noticing these abandoned boats bobbing at the dock, overloaded with this astonishing catch. Slippery gold, flip-flopping in the sun. Pretty soon their market value plummets and someone asks, “What are we going to do with all these dead fish?”
The preacher who led Simon, James and John to the catch of fish apparently reoriented their priorities.
We must do our taxes, budget our money and time, make good plans for life and generally navigate within a moneyed culture. But there’s a miraculous Spirit stirring us to follow Jesus. It frees us to a life of trust rather than fear. It empowers us to surrender ourselves over and over again to God. It invites us to invest ourselves in what matters most.
Prayer
Loving Spirit, free us to follow you and give us wisdom to wisely manage the complexities of our lives. Amen.