In the Bible, the book of Luke chapter 5 shows Jesus telling Peter to take his boat out and cast the nets into deep water.  Peter complains a bit, saying that they’ve tried all night and hadn’t caught a single fish, but agrees to it declaring, “I will do as you say.”  When Peter does what is asked of him, the fishing net caught such a large amount of fish that Peter called for some of his partners to come over.  They all had so many fish that they were able to fill both boats, almost overflowing them both.

There are a few points to be taken from this story.  The first one is that no matter what the circumstances look like, trust in what God says.  Peter and others had been fishing all day with no luck. Their chances for success that day looked dim, but that didn’t stop the goodness of Jesus Christ.  Your situation may look dark, you may think there is no way possible, and you may have tried as hard as you could with no result.  Realize that God is bigger than your problems.  He is the God of power and plenty.  This is the same God who empowered David to defeat a giant with a sling and a stone.  He’s the same God who led Joshua to tear down the walls of Jericho.  He’s the same God who even now offers us victory over death through the cross of Jesus Christ.  There is nothing our Heavenly Father can’t do and that also includes helping you with your problems.  Focus more on God rather than on your circumstances.

The second point is that when you follow the Word of God, you will be blessed in ways you don’t realize and in amounts you can’t yet comprehend.  Peter did what Jesus told him to do and he was blessed with more fish than he had ever caught before.  Peter could have given up and disregarded Jesus, but he followed Christ’s directions and got the catch of a lifetime.

Lastly, Peter did something that is worthy of a special note. The nets were overflowing with fish, so much so that the nets were breaking.  At that point, Peter could have let the excess fish loose and think that it was enough. Instead, Peter called his friends over to share in the blessing. Together, they worked hard on the nets and hauled in enough fish to almost sink both of their boats.  We need to actively pursue this principle in our own lives.  Whenever we experience God’s favor and blessings, we must not forget to include those around us.  Don’t just take the money and run, so to speak.  Invest those blessings in others as well.  It’s easier to give blessings such as money or even your time when you realize that those blessings are God’s to begin with. It all comes from Him. Through our blessings, we need to become a blessing to others.

If you follow Jesus, no matter what the situation may look like, God’s blessings and abundance will soon follow you in amazing ways.  May those blessings be upon you and your families forevermore.

 

DH