The last thing a weary fisherman wants to hear is “let down your nets.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Lord told Simon Peter after a disappointing fishing trip, \u201c\u2026Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch\u201d (see Luke 5:1-11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A crowd had gathered around Jesus by the Lake of Gennesaret to hear his teaching. He got into Peter\u2019s boat and asked him to take it out a little further from the shore. Then he sat down to teach the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When he finished, he told Peter to take the boat out to the deep water and do some more fishing. Peter and his friends were already washing their nets\u2014done for the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaster,\u201d he said, \u201cwe\u2019ve worked hard all night and haven\u2019t caught anything.\u201d He didn\u2019t argue. He simply stated a fact. His diligent labor had produced nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go fishing again? The plan seemed absurd\u2026the situation hopeless. With nothing to go on except the word of the Lord, Peter made a decision that, to onlookers, might have seemed irrational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause you say so, I will let down the nets.\u201d He\u2019d try again. Attempt something that appeared unfeasible and impractical. Just because Jesus said do it. He and his buddies caught so many fish that their nets began to brake!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s the amazing outcome of obedience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are you frustrated, worn out, and downright discouraged because you\u2019ve fished and caught nothing? You\u2019ve trudged through years, devoted to the call of God on your life. Looking back you see little to show for your investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Someone whispers, \u201cYou\u2019ve done your best, but your work has been unfruitful. Why keep wasting your energy? It\u2019s time to quit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m familiar with that one-way conversation. It sounds so rational\u2026so convincing. But the one speaking is our enemy\u2014a confirmed liar! Do not give him the time of day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This place of despair is just the right place for something amazing to happen. Jesus said, \u201cLaunch out into the deep and let down your nets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis place of despair is just the right place for something amazing to happen. Jesus said, \u201cLaunch out into the deep and let down your nets. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s brainstorm about what that might look like in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many years ago the Lord gave me a promise\u2014his plans for my writing and speaking ministry. He didn\u2019t say when this would happen, but the dream kept my faith strong. Life brought so much reality that it seemed my boatload of dreams might sink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still believing the promise, I looked toward heaven one day and said simply, \u201cWhat\u2019s next?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone whispered\u2026a plan\u2026specific steps toward the promise he had given long ago! I wrote them down and launched out into the deep\u2014with nothing to go on except the word of the Lord. My boat overflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How will you invest the rest of your life? Isn\u2019t this a good time to let down your nets? You\u2019ll never know the amazing outcome of obedience until you launch out into the deep.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow will you invest the rest of your life? Isn\u2019t this a good time to let down your nets? You\u2019ll never know the amazing outcome of obedience until you launch out into the deep. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d love to hear how God came through for you when you dared to let down your nets. And please share this with our friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2020<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The last thing a weary fisherman wants to hear is “let down your nets.” The Lord told Simon Peter after a disappointing fishing trip, \u201c\u2026Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch\u201d (see Luke 5:1-11). A crowd had gathered around Jesus by the Lake of Gennesaret to hear his teaching. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[9,40,438,275],"class_list":["post-1352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-dianne-barker","tag-discouragement","tag-living-the-maximum-life","tag-obedience"],"yoast_head":"\n