Called
“Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” Luke 5:10
Did you know that you have been called to more in this life? Yes, we are called to God’s great salvation through the blood of Jesus, but there is more. Many people receive that salvation and think that is all there is, but God has so much planned for each person. A special and important mission. Each one of us have been given an assignment in the place we are right now. As we grow and complete our current mission, we are called to the next assignment.
Maybe you are thinking: “No, I’m not qualified to minister to people.” Or “I don’t know the scriptures well enough to share.” It is so important to recognize and remember that God has never called those who were qualified. God has always qualified and grown people right in the middle of their current circumstances.
In today’s reading, Jesus began to call people to join Him in ministry. He started out by calling fishermen, of all people. These were not educated men and they were not people who had been prepared and trained in the scriptures to teach others. These were common, hard working and diligent guys that made their living by catching fish. When Jesus told Peter to put his net in the water, all Peter did was what he was asked to do, and Jesus did the rest. He was blessed with a catch that he could never do on his own and then Jesus called Peter to follow Him into ministry.
It has been that way all through the scriptures. Abraham was called to be the father of many nations. The only problem with that was that he couldn’t have children. Moses was called to be the deliverer of God’s people out of bondage even though he was a fugitive and living far from where God’s people were. Samuel was called to be the prophet to God’s people when he was just a 12-year-old boy. He certainly wasn’t qualified for that job at that point in his life. David was called to be the king of Israel and he was just a shepherd young guy left alone to figure out how keep sheep alive. Mary was called to carry and deliver the Son of God and she wasn’t even married yet or had a relationship with a man. The list could go on and on, but as you read through God’s Word, you will see that God calls regular people like you and me to do great things in the kingdom of heaven. You only need to respond with a resounding yes when He calls and then grow in wisdom and stature as He leads.
Today I want to encourage you to listen for God’s call on your life. First, recognize that the Holy Spirit is drawing you to God’s great love through salvation in Christ Jesus. Then spend some time submitting your life and heart to Him through prayer and meditating His Word. Talk to Him about the plans He has for you and ask Him to make them plain and clear to you, step by step and give you the faith, desire and strength to walk in them. You are called to be great things and they will start right where you are today.
Today’s scripture reading: Luke 4:40 – Luke 5:11
40 When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.
41 And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.
42 Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them;
43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”
44 And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.
1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,
2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.
3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.
7 So 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 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 which they had taken;
10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”
11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
The Daily Dose 