My, Devotion to Him #19
Committed: “Feeling dedication and loyalty to a cause wholeheartedly.”
Dedicated: “Devoted to a task or purpose; having single-minded loyalty.”
VERSE PASSAGE: Luke 5:4-5 “When he 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.” – NIV
“nevertheless at your word I will let down the net.” – NKJV
So, Jesus is preaching the good news. He gets into a boat, finishes up His teaching lesson to the crowd and then tells the fisherman Simon to go out to sea and when they get there to let down the nets to catch fish. Simon states they had worked all night. Let’s stop here. Simon and his companions had been fishing all night long, they didn’t catch anything. This was not because they were bad fishers, this was their job, they just had a rough night. Jesus tells him to go back out to sea and cast the net over. Now, what if you were Simon? I know first of all I would’ve been thinking “Really?” I mean these men had worked all night long and nothing was caught. Not only are they tired but I’m sure their pride as fishermen is a little hurt at this point. And Jesus wants them to go back out. You have to realize at this point Simon was not an Apostle yet.
He did not know Jesus. Maybe knew of Him. It would have been easy for Simon to reject Jesus’ command. After all, Simon had been a fisherman all his life. Jesus was just a preacher. So, it’s not like Jesus was an expert at fishing. Though, Simon accepted. Sometimes we get that feeling that we just got to try one more time. We are putting it all on the line. This is what Simon did. He decided that they were gonna go back out once more.
Many people are like Simon Peter and his companions. They have done all that they know to do and yet come up empty-handed. Despair and hopelessness sets in. And in many cases causes people to just quit trying. Yet, just one word from Jesus could make the same tasks that has been so unproductive on our own bear amazing reward.
So, Simon goes on and says “at your word I’ll cast my net.” Simon having that gut feeling became committed with dedication. At the word of Jesus he was willing to cast his net once more. Jesus was not a fisherman, it wasn’t like Simon had seen Jesus fish. Simon had just worked all night, produced nothing, and was tired. Yet, he gave full control over to Jesus.
So many people fail at many things because they have worked hours and hours on something and produced nothing. They may have that inner call to try again and they don’t. Maybe in prayer Jesus lays in their heart to do it once more. But they don’t. Failure has run wild in many Christians today because of not listening to Jesus. They are tired, they’ve worked hard and have not reaped the reward. Jesus is calling out to try once more. Let Him be in control, listen, and do it once more.
Today, make sure your work is directed by God and you will reap the reward.
NOTES:
1. Do not give up.
2. Listen when Jesus tells us to do something.
3. We need to people who are Committed with Dedication to Christ.
Copyright © 2017 by Jacob D. Olinger
Spirit Warrior Ministry 