This morning my Bible reading took me back to Greece.
The four weeks we spent in Greece is one of the most memorable times of my life. The beauty, the relaxation, the food, the people, the history (biblical history) made it the trip of a lifetime.
The first eighteen days we were on the island of Paros. Each morning, we would walk the seashore and then visit the harbor. There we would stop and watch the fishermen. Fresh caught octopus would be hanging from the boat railing and fishermen would sit on the seawall, mending the nets spread before them.
Working diligently in the morning sun.
These were big nets and their hands shifted through them, discovering and mending the holes. This all needed to be done before they left the next morning. It was a time-consuming chore.
Now, just imagine you were with those fishermen on the shore at the Sea of Galilee.
“As Jesus stood beside Lake Galilee a crowd of people pushed to get closer to him and to hear the teachings of God. 2 Jesus saw two boats at the shore of the lake. The fishermen were washing their nets. 3 Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon. He asked Simon to push off a little from the shore. Then he sat down in the boat and taught the people on the shore.
4 When Jesus finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Take the boat into the deep water. If all of you will put your nets into the water, you will catch some fish.’
5 Simon answered, ‘Master, we worked hard all night trying to catch fish and caught nothing. But you say I should put the nets into the water, so I will.‘ 6 The fishermen put their nets into the water. Their nets were filled with so many fish that they began to break. 7 They called to their friends in the other boat to come and help them. The friends came, and both boats were filled so full of fish that they were almost sinking…Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid. From now on your work will be to bring in people, not fish!’
11 The men brought their boats to the shore. They left everything and followed Jesus.” Luke 5:1-11 ERV
Now consider the story.
This small fishing business had spent the entire night placing their nets and retrieving them and they caught nothing. It had been hard work. Now, with nets cleaned they were ready to go home, eat some breakfast and catch a nap.
But Jesus had another plan. He asked to use their boat as a floating pulpit. Then to reward the men for their assistance He asked them to do something out of the ordinary. “Let’s launch out a little further and drop your nets”. Fishing in the light of day wasn’t practical. They were tired, their nets were cleaned “But you say I should put the nets into the water, so I will.“
At the precise time a large school of fish, a net breaking, boat sinking school of fish was swimming by and got caught up in their nets. This was one for the record books! It took two boats to haul in the catch. When they made it to shore someone should have been there to document this record-breaking event, but no one did. They could have used this to promote their fishing fleet, “Best Fishermen of the Sea”.
That didn’t happen.
In fact, just the opposite occurred. Jesus ask Peter, James and John to leave the nets and go fishing for men. This is the part I really like – they left everything and followed Jesus! No question, no hesitation, they left their biggest success behind.
Jesus left heaven for us. They left all to follow Him.
