Empty Nets

"When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at Your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking." (Luke 5:4-6)

Simon-Peter heard the words of the Lord, and he responded with the typical, “Yeah, but," that comes to all our minds. Yeah, Lord, I get it, but that didn't work the first 97 times I tried it.

We don't get it. We, like Simon-Peter, know what the day will very likely bring when we open our eyes in the morning: pain, financial trouble, a long day at a job we don't like, another argument, illness, worry, grief, disappointment, loneliness, fear, memories you’d rather forget, or some other horrible tragedy you've only dreamed about. Yeah God, You promised to love me, but...

...but Simon let down his nets anyway.

Sometimes our nets are overflowing, and sometimes they're painfully empty. At Jesus’ Word, at His promise of love unyielding even though you can’t see it and even though you doubt its existence from time to time, be like Simon and let down your nets anyway. TRUST. Know that at the very least one day, and for eternity, you will reel them in so full they'll be bursting. Not for your sake, not for your choice or your perseverance, and not as some reward that you would have earned by anything you did or even believed, but because of Jesus' love for you.

Until that day, treasure the few fish that swim into your nets

and ask God for the strength to go fishing for a few more.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our WEAKNESS. For we do not know what to PrAy for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes FOR US with GroaninGs too deep for words. And He who SEARCHES HearTs knows what is the minD of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the WILL of God. And WE KNOW that for those who LOVE GOD all things work together for Good, for those who are CALLED according to His purpose." (Romans 8:26-28)

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Suggested verse to repeat to yourself if it's a difficult day comes from Luke 9:23

PRC buddies, remember to breathe!

"Take up your cross -------> inhale 5 counts

and follow Me." -------> exhale 5 counts
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