reflections

11/10

Launch into the Deep “...Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Luke 5:4 The crowds pressed upon Jesus that day as He stood at the water’s edge in Galilee. The multitudes followed this new preacher in wonder and awe. They were challenged by the words He spoke, and astounded by the miracles. As a master of acoustics, Jesus always knew how to speak in order to be heard! “And seeing the multitudes, he went up on a mountain...” (Mt. 5:1a) on the day the Sermon of the Kingdom was given. “When he was seated His disciples came to Him.” (Mt. 5:1b) Then He began to teach the multitudes, from a distance, and the disciples, who remained close. At the sea, He saw two boats (Lk. 5:1-2). Entering Simon’s boat, He instructed him to go out a short bit. And from there the crowd was taught. God often tests us at the water’s edge. The Word of God, Jesus Himself (Jn. 1:1), separates the multitudes from the disciples according to the levels of the water’s depth. The crowd observed and listened to His voice from a distance as Jesus shared from the shoreline. But then He turned to Simon and said, “Launch into the Deep.” Our lives are to be carriers of Jesus, yielded to His direction. Simon’s name in Hebrew means hearing, to hear intelligently, give attention, obedience, to discern and be a witness. The voice of the Lord is always speaking, always calling us deeper, into the depths of His heart and into the realms of the Spirit. There He shatters our perception of limitations. Adam heard the “voice of the Lord walking” (Gen. 3:8). The Lord is never stagnant. His character never changes, but His movement is always progressing. Simon heard and pondered. He questioned. The natural abilities and situation confirmed it was not the proper time. “Been there, done that” was his initial response, but he quickly and humbly obeyed, trusting the Word of the Lord. On the shores, the fishermen were washing and mending their nets. Simon’s nets were prepared when he saw Jesus approaching earlier in the day. The nets were the tools to get what they desired and what was needed for their substance. Our “nets” today are our mindsets, expectations, traditions, agendas through which we hope for the similar gain. Cleaning up and fixing “our ways” only limit and hinder the demonstration of the supernatural ways of the Lord. Simon “let down” those nets, yielding his ways to the Lord’s Word. Under the weight of the catch, the nets began to break (Lk. 5:6). May we allow ourselves to be carriers of the Lord, respond to His bidding us deeper, and let down our ways, allowing them to break that the weight of His Glory may be revealed and our lives be yielded to His lead (Lk. 5:10-11). Rev. Sharon Carlson