From Fishing to Catching
Over a decade ago, my husband and I took our family to a small fishing town for spring break. The place we rented had a green light under the water where Mike and the kids fished off the dock after sunset. It was fun to hook some fish, take a picture, and throw them back.
The real fun, however, came when we boarded a small boat captained by a seasoned fisherman. He knew just where to take us to ensure we all were successful. Even during his demonstration, when he let down his hook with no bait, a black drum grabbed the hook, and our son got to reel him in. For the next few hours, not more than five minutes passed without one of us yelling, “Fish on!” The captain would coach us through setting the hook and reeling in the fish, then he did all the work of unhooking the fish after handing us another rod with a hook already baited. The kids soon determined that they loved fishing!
I remember that trip fondly -- we made so many happy memories, but I feel compelled to correct the record somewhat. The kids said that they loved fishing … but what they actually loved was catching! They never experienced the waiting, boredom, and disappointment of bringing up an empty hook or staring at a bobber for hours without even a nibble.
The Lord brought a Bible story about fishing versus catching to my mind last weekend. When Jesus began His ministry, He preached on the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. So many people gathered to hear Him that He enlisted the help of some fishermen who were working nearby.
Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew had come in from a long night of fishing and had nothing to show for it. Time after time, they let their nets down into the water, and every time they came up empty. Exhausted from the work and discouraged by their failure, they brought their boat to shore and sat on the beach to mend their nets.
Jesus asked Simon and Andrew to take Him out from the shore so He could talk to the crowd that had gathered. The water provided excellent acoustics, and the people heard and were enthralled by Jesus’ teaching. When Jesus finished His sermon, He turned His attention to the brothers.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 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.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. Luke 5:4-7 (NIV)
The things that strike me about this story are, first, that Jesus did not tell Simon to do more fishing -- He told him to put his nets into the water for a catch. They had already spent all night fishing, and that was no fun at all. But catching is where the action is. Catching is the goal of fishing. To skip the work of fishing and go straight to catching would make a fisherman out of anyone! Second, Jesus’ instructions show how we can become catchers instead of fishers. “Put out to deep waters,” Jesus said. In other words, “Obey Me and go deeper, and you will not have to struggle; the blessing is there for you already.”
Today, Jesus is calling His followers to go deeper. Deeper is where we encounter supernatural blessings that God has already prepared for us. Deeper is where we go with Jesus by obeying His word, acknowledging His authority and power, and having faith that He knows what is up ahead. Deeper is where we find fulfillment through Him and are enabled by the Holy Spirit to accomplish His purpose for us.
If you hear the voice of Jesus calling you to go deeper with Him, you can begin your response of obedience by praying with me:
Dear Lord Jesus, I hear You calling my name and feel You beckoning me to a deeper place of obedience and relationship with You. Increase my faith, Lord, to follow Your leading, to sail my little boat out farther from the security of the shoreline, and prepare me for the blessings You have in store for me. Continue to urge me forward, enlighten me to understand Your word, and direct me in the way I should go. I trust You and thank You that You will be with me in uncertain circumstances and deep waters. Prepare me for a catch! Amen.