9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that YOU MAY DECLARE THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT. 1 Peter 2
We have a High Calling which can come simply and suddenly!
One day Jesus was teaching the people by the Sea of Galilee when he saw two boats by the water’s edge. He got into Peter’s boat and asked him to pull out a little from the shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat. Luke 5:1-3
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’
5 Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ Luke 5 (Only Luke’s Gospel records Jesus’ instruction to pull out from the shore and fish)
Peter had given the Lord the use of his boat and now Jesus told him to put out into the deep water and prepare to fish. When they let down their nets they caught so many fish that their nets began to break and they called their friends in another boat to come and help them. Then both boats began to sink with the huge catch of fish in them. Luke 5:6
Experienced fishermen who’d fished all night and caught nothing, but a word from the Lord and their catch was so large that both boats were sinking. They were all astonished by the catch they’d taken, but Jesus said something else to them that was life-changing.
17 ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1
Jesus call to His first disciples came in the workplace and their response was immediate, they left everything to follow Him. God’s Call can come to us anytime and anywhere. It may be a gentle whisper (like the recommissioning of Elijah on the mountain 1 Kings 19) or it may be with signs and wonders. The important thing is that we recognise His Call and yield to it. Believers heed the initial call to salvation, but what other calls does the Lord have for our lives? There are further opportunities along all our paths, but we have free will to take them up or pass by. The parable of the Good Samaritan who stopped on his journey to help a stranger in need is a good lesson for us. God’s Call often means laying aside our agenda and accepting His Higher Purpose without any guarantees, but His ways are far above ours if we’ll embrace His Call.
God bless and keep you today. Immanuel