“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” – Luke 5:5
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around Him and listening to the word of God. Jesus saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
In Biblical times, fishermen would typically wash their nets after each outing at sea, usually right on the shore of the water. Washing the nets ensured they were clean and ready for the next fishing trip. We learn in Luke 5 that the fishermen were washing their nets not because they had caught any fish, but because they were done for the day. Their time at sea had not produced a haul. The fishermen were removing any remaining debris from the nets, preparing them for their next opportunity.
Jesus got into Simon’s boat, and asked him to put out a little from shore. When Jesus 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.
John 21 provides a similar story. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told the disciples, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. Jesus said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
While we read these Biblical accounts from an outsider’s perspective, it’s beneficial to remember a time in our own lives when we struggled or labored for days, weeks, months, or even years to achieve something significant – accomplishing a skill or a task, praying to reconnect with an estranged loved one, studying for an important exam to further a career, or praying for healing and hope.
The disciples had fished for hours on their own without success. Jesus encouraged them to try just one more time.
It would have been easy for the fishermen to refuse to obey Jesus’s directive. Common sense would have prompted them to stop striving in vain.
But Simon said to Jesus, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
But because You say so. Obedience to God in the face of uncertainty and failure made all the difference for the fishermen.
The world would have told the disciples they were foolish to continue their attempts. But the divine sovereignty of Christ reminded them that He can do the impossible.
The stories found in Luke 5 and John 21 emphasize the importance of trusting and obeying Jesus, even when His instructions seem contrary to experience, logic, or reason.
Proverbs 3:5 reminds believers, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.“
The disciples could not comprehend at the time why Jesus encouraged them to let down their nets again, but their obedience resulted in fruitfulness – and not just fruitfulness, but a blessing so enormous they needed help hauling their nets back into the boat.
The Bible promises believers that blessings flow as a result of our obedience to God.
“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” (Deuteronomy 28:1-6.)
God wants to bless His children abundantly. May we be encouraged to let down our nets – to trust in His promises, even when faced with doubt and frustration, and to obey His instructions over the details of our lives.