“WASHING MY NET”
“WASHING MY NET”
Beloved Unchained Family, highly estimated friends:
In the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 5, verses 1 through 11, we have a very interesting passage of the Scriptures, especially the verse 2 that says:
“And Jesus saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets”.
I firmly believe that in this magnificent episode and great display of Jesus’ power, Peter and his friends had no idea whatsoever of what the young Rabbi from Galilee was about to do, as far as performing an extraordinary miracle and bringing so many fish to them. Yet, what is interesting here is that while Jesus was preaching, those fishermen were listening, but also getting themselves ready for their next night shift of work: they were washing and mending their nets - in other words, “they were getting ready to be ready”, they were preparing themselves for what life could bring to them, and what a gratifying surprise they would have in that morning!
The application I would like to focus on today is very simple: we are living in such different and uncertain times that, with the activeness of life, we frequently forget to wash our nets, we fail to prepare ourselves for the miracles the Lord has in store for us.
Reading the whole story, we can extract 3 main lessons from those events:
We all get tired, no exceptions - we frequently get weary with situations, people, institutions, friends and even ourselves! Peter and his companions had been working all night long, only to see daylight bring the cold disappointment of no results, nothing at all. They were exhausted, energy-drained and worn out, but the Master of the sea, the Omnipotent Jesus was about to step into the boat! And when the Son of God gets on board - praised be His Name, brace yourself, because everything changes forever!
We must to be watchful and ready for miracles coming our way - by washing their nets, those experienced men of sea were thinking ahead, they were aware that the next fishing night would come again soon, but little they knew that Jesus was about to intervene in their total lackness in a marvelous way - which He did; nevertheless, most likely nothing of what they witnessed would have happened if their nets were not ready and prepared to the shoals of fish they were about to catch (or perhaps I should say the fish caught them by surprise!)
The Lord Jesus Christ is in control of absolutely everything - I love when Peter says on verse 5: “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net”. Despite his tiredness, in spite of mornings being an inappropriate time for fishing, regardless of everything unfavorable and contrary to all odds, he threw the net, and yes, the miracle happened, the fish came, and they only showed up because the Lord Creator said so, because He is indeed in control of everything that “lives and moves”, He has all authority on Heaven and earth!
The Lord Almighty wants to perform wonderful things in our lives, but we must have our nets clean and ready, so when the Master decides to come, He may find empty vessels to fill in, He may encounter open hearts in which to operate, and in finding them, He will exhibit His glory among men.
Brother and sisters, dirty nets cannot catch anything, let us get ours clean, neat and ready, so at the Master’s command, we will just cast them into the sea for our miracle!
Wishing peace, health and many blessings to your body and soul,
Pr. Joshua