WNDITWB.

What keeps us from embracing the new?

There’s a favorite saying of people who are stuck in old ways of doing and being: “We’ve never done it that way before.” This is a particularly dangerous saying when quoted in the face of God, who has called us to embrace the new thing He is doing.

Simon Peter had a moment where he was reluctant to engage in a new thing. We find the account recorded in Luke 5:1-11.

Jesus said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear. (Luke 5: 4-6)

On the surface, Jesus’s request to Peter seemed almost ludicrous.

The fishermen were tired. They had been out all night doing their job, and had just finished washing all their nets. Their workday had ended.

The fish were gone. In the heat of the day, the fish would have retreated to a deeper section of the lake. It made no sense for a fisherman to go fishing in the middle of the day.

But Peter gave an incredible response to Jesus: “Because You say so.” Peter had such a deep respect for the Master that he took the boat out to the deep section of the lake. Peter willingly gave of his time and resources because Jesus asked him.

It didn’t matter that Jesus wasn’t a fisherman. All that mattered was that Jesus spoke.

Well, here we are. Jesus has spoken to Bronx Bethany. We have been asked to do something we’ve never done before. Some of us are tired. Some of us believe it’s not the time to go fishing. Some of us are content with our own soul’s salvation and we don’t feel obligated to help anyone else. But Jesus says, “Launch out into the deep water. Lower your nets for a catch.”

So when we open our mailboxes and see the appeal for Summer Serve/Fall Harvest, let’s remember that it’s not really a Bronx Bethany campaign. It’s a Jesus campaign. Take Jesus at His word.

Let’s go fishing. Say yes to the Master, and watch Him do the miraculous.