“And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.’ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.”
— Luke 5:4–6 (ESV)
Did that headline grab your attention? Maybe I missed my calling as a journalist!
Now, put yourself in Simon Peter’s shoes. You’ve been up all night, fishing with your crew. Your hands are blistered from the ropes, your back aches, and you reek of seawater and sweat. And for what? Nothing. No catch. No income. And you know the Romans are still going to tax you whether you caught ten fish or none. You’re exhausted, frustrated, maybe even wondering why you bother.
And then, just as you’re pulling ashore, here comes a carpenter. Not a fisherman. Not someone who knows tides and nets like you do. A carpenter. And he tells you to go back out—into the deep—and drop your nets again.
Can you feel Simon’s hesitation? His words say it all: “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”
That’s faith. Not faith in the catch. Not faith in his own ability. But faith in the One who spoke.
The Lesson for Us
Sometimes, life feels like an empty net. We’ve worked, prayed, pushed, and tried—yet nothing seems to come of it. That’s when Jesus steps in with an invitation that doesn’t always make sense: “Try again. Step deeper. Trust Me.”
Simon could have laughed, argued, or walked away. Instead, he said, “At your word.” And because he trusted, his nets overflowed.
Here’s the challenge for you today: Don’t place your faith in the size of the catch, the success of the effort, or even the timing of the outcome. Place your faith in Jesus—the One who sees what you don’t, knows what you can’t, and provides in ways you would never expect.
So whatever empty net you’re staring at right now—finances, relationships, health, purpose—hear His words: “Put out into the deep.” Take that step of obedience. Trust Him. Because when Jesus is in the boat, the breakthrough is always closer than you think.
TMDPB - The Modern Day Parables Blog 