Jesus’ Ministry
February 9, 2019
Scripture Reading: Luke 5:1-11
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He 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. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. –Luke 5:1-7
I spend a lot of time catching nothing. Much of my retirement efforts, as was much of my work-related efforts, are devoted to seeking justice. The work is often met with skepticism and reluctance. I realized some time ago that I see the world differently than most people. I blame that on my mother whom I dubbed the words first true egalitarian. She was very practical and hard-working and strong in her faith commitment to serving those in need. I guess I must credit my father with seeing the bigger picture perhaps even his grandmother. I never met her, but he described her as being a visionary. I wish I had known her. She led a hard life and still could dream of better things to come.
Peter and his fellow fishermen had no doubt worked all night and caught nothing. Yet he was able to put his skepticism and reluctance aside and follow in faith this man called Jesus and eventually to devote his entire being to bring about Jesus’ vision for the world. We too are called to step out in faith even when we sense we are catching nothing. We have no idea what God can create from what we perceive as nothing.
Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely
and long for heaven and home,
when Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is he:
his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me;
his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me*.
Prayer: Lord, when we are discouraged help us feel your presence. Help us understand that you created the Earth out of chaos and can make a kingdom of love out of our best effort for which we do not see results. Amen.
*First verse of His Eye is on the Sparrow by Civilla D. Martin, see at https://hymnary.org/text/why_should_i_feel_discouraged