LUKE 5:3-10: Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 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. 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. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

Today’s scripture offers multiple lessons. First, we see the actions of a doubting and reluctant disciple in Peter. Peter labored all night fishing and came home empty. He was tired, exhausted, and probably wanted a few hours of sleep. Then the Lord commanded him to put his nets back in the water. Peter attempted to tell the Lord who knows all things what He already knew – “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” The conflict in Peter’s heart is easily seen. This tired, even doubting disciple, felt the pull of his own reasoning doing battle against the command of Jesus. Faith, though weak, won out and back to fishing Peter went. In his obedience and fulfillment of Jesus’ promise of a catch, Simon Peter now is confronted with his own sinfulness of unbelief. Falling down before the Lord, he cries, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.” And that leads to the second lesson.

Notice who moved in this encounter with Jesus. No one. Peter, needing forgiveness would not leave the One and only one who could grant it. How unlike Adam in the Garden of Eden. Remember, he sinned and tried to hide from God. Peter, in his wavering faith and sin of unbelief, fell on his face and wouldn’t leave the Lord. He didn’t move away from the Lord, but there is more . . . . glorious more.

Observe the dialogue between Peter and Jesus. Peter, the sinner, “commands” the Sinless Jesus to leave him – “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.” Deep in Peter’s heart, he had no desire for Jesus to leave him. He loved Him, yes imperfectly, but he did. However when a sinner really gets his or her sin exposed in the presence of the Holy God, there is a strong pull against it; even a pull to be removed from such purity. Isn’t that what Adam tried to do when God confronted him after He sinned? He attempted the folly of running and hiding from holiness. Yet, in Peter’s case, as in all believers, when our sins are exposed, we cannot run or hide from Jesus. Nor do we want to because we know He is our only hope in and from our sin.

Now look at Jesus’ action and response to Peter. First, He didn’t “obey” Peter. He didn’t leave Him. That is what the love of Christ does. He doesn’t leave the sin-sorrowing believer. He stays and stands ready to assure the sin-sorrowing believer of forgiveness and restoration. The Lord says, “Do not be afraid. You are forgiven. I still intend to use you for My purposes.” And friends, this dialogue and actions of Peter and Jesus apply to us. When we sin, don’t move away from Jesus, stand before Him, and what He said and did to Peter He will to us as well – “Don’t be afraid. I am here. I am not moving away from you in rejection. Draw near and find what your sinful heart needs; forgiveness, restoration, and rest.”

PRAYER: “Lord, help me never to run from You in unbelief questioning Your eagerness to forgive me when I fail You.”

QUOTE: “When we sin, don’t be like Adam seeking to hide from the Lord instead run to Him and find forgiveness.”