Deep Water Fishing

February 5

(Luke 5:1-4 NIV) “One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, {2} he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. {3} He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. {4} When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

(1 Corinthians 2:9-12 NIV) “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- {10} but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. {11} For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. {12} We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.”

While Jesus was preaching to a large crowd, He got into a fishing boat and went out onto the water. He did this for a couple of reasons. First, water is a natural voice amplifier. Sound skips across water like a flat stone. Having created water, sound, and the human ear, Jesus would have known this. Secondly, Jesus was interested in the boat’s owner, Simon, who would later become known as Peter, the Rock of the Church. Jesus knew Peter before Peter knew Jesus. Isn’t that the way it works for all of us? Christ was looking for some “fishers of men”, and on this day, He took Peter into the deep water to teach him a lesson in both fishing and faith. We’re all called to be “fishers of men”, and at some point, Jesus takes us all out into the deep water for some lessons in faith. Are you in over your head today? Maybe God is trying to teach you something. Pay attention! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day