Is anything more required than Hardwork?

by Prince Josiah Jeyaraj

Lessons from Luke 5:1-11

Let me take you through Luke 5:1-11 in the Gospels, this is the first miracle Jesus performed at the Sea of Galilee. Peter and probably his friends James, John, and Andrew were there. They fished all night. The fishermen were tired, exhausted and probably in a bad mood as their hard work and experience did not pay off. Similarly in John 21:3-11 another miracle takes place in Sea of Galilee after a night of fruitless hard work.

If you say, you have put hard work and your experience into some of the most critical things and yet haven’t paid off. Peter a experienced and seasoned fisher man was in similar situation. There are times Experience and hard word does not matter. That does not mean we need to ignore the experience and hard work. It is like a “RESET” Button in a device, just to start again with a re-focus.

Peter’s and other fisherman were in act of “washing their nets”, that is reminder for us reflect on our self to cleanse or wash our self. Washing nets prepares for the future. Similarly washing self prepares for our future too.

Jesus had been teaching there and the crowds grew in number, that pushes Jesus to ask Peter provide his boat as floating pulpit. I am not sure if Jesus knew Peter before or Peter knew Jesus, but Peter should have been hearing about this Teacher and Miracle worker as normally a person like Jesus would be identified in a community. Probably that led Peter to give his boat as Floating Pulpit, whatever may be the reason, Peter was Generous to give.

How is our Generosity?

There are times; the LORD would send us back to the places where we failed, so people can HIS glory. Are you in a place of failure and fruitlessness after much of hard work? If so, please check on if God is on your boat or God is there on the things you do. Revisit the places of your failure with HIM. There are times God allows endure certain failures in our lives, for us to realize the need for HIM. Our experience, talent and hard work, blinds us from God!  Check on your failures, it could be God permitted failures to connect back to HIM. How can we follow Christ when we don’t understand the need of HIM.

…Without HIM, you can do nothing. John 15:5b

Philippians 4:13 says, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

The above reflects that with God all things are possible and he strengthens us. Let us revisit the places of our failure with HIM and be an over comer.

This miracle was a test of obedience for Peter, if you read through the passage it was not Peter’s request, it was Jesus who asked Peter about his catch and Peter explained his efforts with no catch. Peter had every freedom to say it was enough for the day, and he would come back next day to try his luck, but Peter chose to obey Jesus. The test of obedience is more than obedience; it also marked another 5 to 6 hours work in the sea, then washing the nets, etc. How is it with us? There are times obedience it minute work, however the lesson here for us is to endure long and face challenges. The God who brought so many fish into net was capable to bring the fish to the shore too, however he wanted Peter to endure and put his efforts. God’s greatest miracle required our cooperation.

When the nets become full and over flowing, Peter called out his friends to help him. God’s blessing is always overflowing. It goes far beyond you to bless others.

Peter's response is surprising. I would have expected Peter to say something like. “Wow, Lord, this is great. Look at all these fish! I want you in my boat every time I go fishing”, but God had a different plan for him. Our success does not determine purpose. This encounter with Christ helped Peter to refocus his life purpose to totally something different.

The Closer we get to JESUS, the better we know ourselves like Peter. Peter falls to his knees in the slimy pile of fish and says, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Let me summarize this story, Peter did not complain he did not catch any fish, it was Jesus who asked him and then instructed him to cast his nest in the deep, now the fish which he wasn’t desperate is there in front of him, the choice is “The BIG Catch” or “JESUS”.

Many times we hold onto every blessing given God than holding onto HIM, who is the Source of every Blessing!