Following after Jesus #42

After the initial surge of induction activities the disciples went through, Luke goes through various events that provide more evidence about Who Jesus really was.  Luke 5: 

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 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.

Everything in Simon Peter's heart and mind said "No. I'm tired. It's not the right time of day. If I'm going to stay up any longer, let's fish for men, not fish." But he was learning to trust in whatever Jesus said. So He followed the instructions of the Rabbi, like any good disciple would, and found out Jesus knew more about fishing than Simon and his professional fishermen friends. But notice Peter's reaction: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” How does that connect with the miracle he had just witnessed and been blessed by? We see similar things happen in the responses of the people of Israel before God's holy mountain, Samson's father when he received a special visit, Job when God spoke to him, and Isaiah in the temple. God's power and holiness always join in His presence, and when we truly believe and recieve, we are humbled before Him.  This proves to be another stepping stone in the faith and commitment of these disciples. That's how it is when we follow Jesus: it happens one glimpse, one step, on decision and day at a time. Everything else gradually fits in life around our relationship with Him.