Devotional - March 21, 2004

Peter and his brother were finished fishing for the day when Jesus approached them and asked to use their boat. It hadn't done them any good that day so I guess they thought it couldn't hurt. Hey, maybe God would bless their next business venture because they shared their resources with someone in need. Regardless of his motives, Jesus got in Peter's boat, asked to be pushed away from shore, dropped an anchor and turned the beach into an teaching auditorium.

We should never minimize the preaching of the Gospel, but the purpose of the day seemed to center around Peter and his friends, not the preaching. We know that because the message Jesus preached wasn't recorded in Luke, but rather the lesson he taught Peter.

Peter, Andrew, James and John were apparently the first ones chosen by Jesus to follow him and become disciples. And the first lesson they would learn this day was to trust Jesus above their own instinct and ability. God didn't want their ability, He wanted their availability.

Interestingly, Jesus took the thing that a fishermen might understand and demonstrated what can be done when God is in it. Of course, Peter questioned Jesus as would we might. When the Master gave instructions for catching fish, we determine his plan is doomed from the start. "We've already tried that Lord. Do what? Why, it's never been done that way before." It's amazing how we respond when we've failed doing it our way and then question God when he asks us to do it again - His way!

But, it wasn't enough to question Jesus. Peter was preparing to say "I told you so!" after Jesus failed. (Vs.5) But Jesus ignored the big fisherman's fear of failure and used his equipment to catch more fish than the nets could hold. So many in fact, their boat began to sink under the weight of the catch.

This example is a lot like what happens when we pray. We never pray big enough to contain what God wants to do. We limit him by praying too "small." In otter words, just as Peter's boat was not big enough to hold God's provision, neither is our prayer large enough to give God room to do what He wants to do through us.

Am I describing your prayer life? If so, why not learn from Peter and give up doing it your way for the sake of relearning it Jesus' way? When you do, be prepared to enlarge your vision to the point you can take in everything He wants to do through you. If you want to be a big pray-er don't plan for failure and don't bring a small net.