And Simon answered saying unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy Word I will let down the net. Luke 5:5
Toiling – means to work extremely hard or incessantly; exhausting physical labor. In its Middle English origin, it means to contend verbally, to strive or dispute. Toil also has a connotation of confusion, from the Latin, ‘a stirring around’ or ‘crushing’ work, like what it takes to crush olives.
Fishing on boats by net is back-breaking work, especially if you’ve done it for hours! Simon and the disciples had been engaged in that work all night long but their toiling was fruitless. Have you ever been in that situation? You’ve been toiling, fighting and working, yet still no successful result… and you’re an experienced expert at this! It’s frustrating. It’s demoralizing. Is God even there and does He care? In the time of his physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, Jesus steps into Simon’s boat and commands him to “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught (a haul of fish).” (vs. 4)
There are times when the Lord asks us to do something crazy and counter-intuitive. We’re at the point of giving up, which may be just the place that He wants us to be, when He commands us to try again. Some of us will explain what has been going on and why it doesn’t make any sense for us to launch out into the deep one more time – especially as exhausted as we are, and then we’ll quit. Others of us, like Simon, will say, “I know this doesn’t make a bit of sense…but because YOU say so…I will make one more attempt!”
This next venture is different because Christ is now on your boat and HE has commanded it. You will no longer be operating out of your own ingenuity, work ethic or experience.
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You won’t be reliant on the things you’ve studied or read, or the coaches you’ve collected along the way…it’s just shear obedience to Jesus’ instruction: “At Thy Word, I will let down the net.” It’s a good thing that Christ has already told you the purpose and outcome in advance. You’re letting down the net, you’re pursing this endeavor…for a HAUL! The blessing has been assured by Jesus’ Word, and whatever HE says is so! Christ is bringing your toiling to an end! If you can believe and step out on His Word one more time…
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