I find
myself fixated on thoughts about this new season of life. Maybe its because it caught me by surprise. I have said I did not see it coming, but He did! One era has come to an end. Wow! It came faster than I ever imagined. The end did not come as I imagined. I was kind of launched out into the deep... unsuspecting. But now by faith, the future is wild with anticipation. Like most
of us have come to realize, every season of life is more a beginning that it is an
ending. It is indeed the beginning of the rest of our lives.
In Luke 5:1-11, the Bible describes an
experience where Peter, James and John are launched into a new season of their lives into their destiny. They go from being
mere fishermen to becoming “disciples”. A disciple is simply a “learner”. A powerful lesson
from this passage is that Jesus captures mere men with an invitation to become
life-long learners. We call them “Disciples”. With His invitation and guidance, these
disciples learned to “launch out into the
Deep”!
John
Eldredge writes “We have grown dull toward this world in which we live; we have
forgotten that it is not normal or scientific in any sense of the
word. It is fantastic. It is fairy tale through and through. Really now.
Elephants? Caterpillars? Snow? At what point did you lose your wonder at it
all? Even so, once in a while something will come along and shock us right out
of our dullness and resignation.” (Adapted
From EPIC – John Eldredge)
Please
note Luke 5 is NOT a story about a fantastic fishing trip. This is one of those
experiences that “shocked these men right
out of their dullness and resignation”. Could it be that one of God’s greatest gifts
is to be a life-long learner? To always be on the edge of “discovering” a brand
new world? So our Lord comes along and invites these men (and us)
to step out into the deep and forever be learning from him. What did Peter “see” that day? Did Peter just “see” a huge catch of fish? Was “this” (v8) what he saw that would cause him to pull
his boat onto the shore, to leave it all behind and to follow after another? And don't think so. What did he “see” (and the others with him) that captured his heart and his
imagination and dreams? What was it that shocked them right out of their
dullness and resignation to move them past just being normal fishermen?
I suggest that he
saw and learned that there was nothing to fear in following God (Jesus) and His
Call on his life! (V 10) You
see, learners don't have to fear the future or failing. Their purpose and goal is to learn!! So Jesus
says to Peter, “Don’t be afraid!” Jesus
will say that a lot to Peter and any true disciple. :) Jesus calls Peter to accept His invitation to launch out into the deep, to become a life-long
learner. A disciple is just simply someone on a journey of learning and
discovering. These men would never stop learning! The next thing you know Peter
is learning to walk on water!! :) (Matthew
14:27-31)
Through this experience, I believe Peter learned that the highest
adventure in life is knowing Him. HIM a person, not an ideology, or philosophy or some formula.
Here is the truth: Life is in a PERSON!! Nothing else compares to HIM!! How do you
know? Watch them! Whatever they “saw” and “learned” that day
caused them to pack up everything they knew, to leave it ALL behind to follow
HIM!! AND don’t miss this: He would lead them OFF every MAP they had ever known
to learn things they could never imagine!!! This is what He DOES for those
who truly follow HIM!
So I invite you to join me. Step out of the dullness and quiet resignation and accept His invitation to launch out into the deep. You need not fear the Lord but trust Him in accepting God’s invitation to become
life-long learner.
Garry JordanGraduation 2013
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