Have you ever seen fishermen at work? I watch a documentary about them and found out how rigorous the work could be; casting out their nets, waiting for a while and when the harvest comes: extra effort is required to draw the net into the boat and that’s for the mechanically assisted method how much more when there is no machine to assist. The normal phenomena in life as concerned with bountiful harvest is that there must be a required input of hard work; almost like saying “What you sow, you’ll reap.” Over time, we’ve come to realize that this is not always so for at some point in life, we have heard, seen or somewhat experienced demeaning results irrespective of the large effort inputted. Such result could be due to human influence or at times just beyond control and one begins to wonder - why? The story of St Luke 5:1-7 tells of a similar situation turned joy. There we see some full grown hard-working ‘professional’ fishermen who had Toiled All Night and caught nothing but dirt in their nets; they were washing their nets when Jesus encountered them. Having allowed the Master to use his boat, Simon Peter was asked to let down his already washed net for a draught. At this point, it can be said that they were tired, weary, frustrated and after giving in to fate thereby washing their tools ready to go home empty, some man comes and says “Hey! Why don’t you give it another try?” That statement could be annoying to the extent that every pilled-up anger could be unleashed upon the speaker. But Simon didn’t do that He rather replied saying “we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” Thank God for His mercy and net-breaking miracle received, but some events took place before this reward was achieved. Peter in his desperate and frustrated state didn’t refuse the Lord’s advances; he had reverence for the things of God, he completely surrendered his boat for the master’s use irrespective of his state of mind.
A few hours to go (Already in the new year in some places) marks the end of a decade i.e. year 2010 – 2019; and looking through this last year 2019 or worse still the whole decade, many couldn’t really experience tangible growth, for they indeed had toilsome events but extremely little or no reward. Is this you in this past year or decade saying ‘I have toiled all year(s) long and have caught nothing?’ Cheer up Dear! This new decade (2020 – 2029), let’s try something new. Surrender the boat of your life to God, let Him in to
Every Area of your life including where you are experiencing dryness. Tell Him (God) how tired you are, how you’ve toiled so hard and as a professional in your field, you hardly experience any significant growth. It’s time for a great change. Trust God with your boat (be it business, academics, job, career path, relationship… anything you want fixed) by putting Him first, incorporating Him into all, take no decision without informing Him, don’t be in a haste to go home empty, rather wait and listen to His instructions no matter how annoying and ridiculous it sounds; do what He says. And like Joshua told his people in Joshua 3:5 saying “
…Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you” I'm telling you to do the same. Sanctify yourself for Jesus, concentrate on him and see him do wonders in your life this decade. Don’t give up. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry,
wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:3)
A Happy New Year 2020 to You, Remain Blessed!
