Trusting Jesus when you think you know better
by Pastor Joshua Pfeiffer
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets’ (Luke 5:5).
As followers of Christ Jesus, he calls us to trust him in all of life. It’s one thing to trust him in the areas we have little competence in, such as the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. It’s another thing to trust him in areas of life in which we think we have a bit of a handle, such as relationships with family and friends, our professional work, our finances or even how the ministry and mission of the church are carried out.
Something challenging in this regard happens in the well-known text of the calling of Jesus’ first disciples. Jesus gets their attention, not by calling them to trust him and obey his word when it comes to prayer or driving out demons but regarding the very activity they were experts at, namely fishing. These tired and frustrated fishermen had worked all night and caught nothing and were then instructed by a carpenter’s son to try again in another spot. To their amazement, it worked! They caught so many fish the nets began to break. For Simon Peter, this was so confronting that he recognised the holiness of Jesus and felt unworthy in his presence, even asking Jesus to go away.
Jesus is, indeed, the holy one of God who is calling these disciples to follow him all the way to the cross and empty tomb. There, he will bring the forgiveness and cleansing Peter sensed he needed and show once and for all he can be trusted. By faith in Jesus, we receive God’s mercy in our need and new life with him. As his disciples, he calls us to trust him not only for eternal life but in all of life. He calls his church to trust him in his instructions no how to go about this mission of ‘catching people’ in the net of the kingdom, even when we think we may know a better way. In what area of your life may Jesus be calling you to trust him?
Lord Jesus, I believe; ‘help thou mine unbelief’. Thank you for calling me to follow you on the path leading to life. By your Spirit, lead me to trust you in all areas of my life, even when it’s challenging. Amen.
- Click here to read previous devotions.
- We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
- Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.
