#DailyDevotion The Lord Takes Care Of The Spiritual And Then The Physical
Luk 5:4-11 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (5) And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” (6) And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. (7) They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (8) But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (9) For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, (10) and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” (11) And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Having taught the people spiritually, Jesus takes to taking care of the fishermen’s physical needs whose boat he had borrowed. I told he tells them to put out into deep water in the daytime when supposedly the best time for fishing with nets is when it is dark in the shallows. Our Father in heaven does want to satisfy our physical needs but not at the expense of our spiritual ones. You might note the first three petitions are spiritual and then we get to daily bread. In Matthew chapter six Jesus says, “seek first the kingdom of God and then all these things will be given unto you.” Yet the world wants to turn God’s ways upside down and have us to fill their physical needs first and then, maybe feed them spiritually.
Peter, having heard Jesus teach, having been moved by the Holy Spirit, says, “at your word I will let down the nets.”Peter knows that’s just not how things work. He and his partners have been fishermen all their lives. Yet, a spark of faith moves Peter to believe Jesus and put forth his nets. Well we all know what happens. Peter catches so many fish they have to call their partners to help them load up the boats. They were filled up so much the boats began to sink. From Jesus’ teaching and now this Peter knows this is no ordinary itinerant rabbi. Someone holy is in his presence.
Sinful men do not and cannot stand in the presence of holiness. Jesus’ holiness was revealed to Peter. Now we don’t know what sort of sinful man Peter was. He was a fisherman (did he lie about the size of his catches?). He was in business (did he cheat on the scales or sell substandard fish?). He was married (did he cheat on his wife or was unkind to her?). Well we are all sinful. We don’t need to speculate. We can just place ourselves in Peter’s place. When confronted with the holiness of God we will either recoil in fear or cover that fear with self-justification. Peter recoils.
Yet Jesus don’t not blast Peter with his holiness. Instead Jesus meets Peter’s fear with grace, mercy, peace, kindness and love. “Don’t be afraid” Jesus tells Peter. Jesus didn’t come to condemn. Certainly Jesus confronts sin and calls people to repent. When people become contrite of this sins, they are met with the name of God, Exo 34:6-7 “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (7) keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” We too, when confronted with our own sins and sinfulness and we are terrified by our sins, contrite and broken of spirit should hear the voice of our Savior Jesus Christ, “don’t be afraid.” We don’t need to be afraid because our God in Christ the Lord is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, steadfastness, forgiving iniquity, transgressions and sins. Jesus speaks to you this word of grace.
Gracious Lord and Father, fulfill in our all our spiritual needs and grant us faith to believe you will take care of our bodily needs as your Son Jesus Christ has so promised us and be gracious and merciful to us for the sake of Christ Jesus when we sin so we need not fear your wrath but experience your steadfast love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.