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Print By Nathan Maki It had been a long night. Simon’s shoulders ached from the constant rhythm of the net--cast and pull, cast and pull. But it was not so much the strenuous effort that had made this a particularly long night. Every day was like that, and his arms were long since corded with muscle. Every day, for as far back as he could remember, he had been around ships and nets, working with his father and grandfather in their family business. It was good work, honest work. It was safe, secure, what he’d always known. He loved the smell of the sea, the heft of a full net, the tug of a sail rope or the pull of the oar. But this night was a long night because they had caught nothing. And so Simon sat on the beach, washing and mending his nets and trying to be philosophical about it. Next night would be better. Now he’d just clean up and get home to his wife. It was just a day in the life of an average fisherman. All up and down the seashore, other fishermen were cleaning their nets or mending them, commiserating and speculating over the poor fishing. Simon blended into the crowd. Then, all of a sudden, everything changed. Jesus showed up with a multitude of people pressing in so hard to hear Him that He asked Simon to let him preach from the prow of his fishing ship, launched out into the water a little ways. And something about this man Jesus made a weary fisherman forget about heading home. As he listened to Him preach to the crowd thronging the shore, Simon wondered at the way this man’s words burned in his heart. It was like nothing he had felt before. Something was different about this man. Something was different enough that when Jesus told him to sail out once more and cast his nets into the sea, he did. And when the net was suddenly creaking and stretching, breaking under the weight of the huge catch of fish, Simon realized that this was no ordinary man. Falling down before Jesus he cried, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Imagine Simon’s astonishment to hear not condemnation, but a calling. “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Notice what Jesus did not say. He didn’t say “Follow me to riches and glory.” He didn’t say “Follow me to fame and fortune.” He made no promise of security or prosperity, nothing tangible for Simon to hold on to. He simply said, “Follow me.” For Simon it seems there was no hesitation. As quick as he could get to shore, he left all behind and followed this itinerate preacher from Galilee. What would Simon Peter’s life have been like if he had refused the call of Jesus? No doubt he would have been comfortable, successful, building his business, coming home every night to his family, a hot meal, and a warm bed. In other words, he would have been secure. He would have lived a good long life filled with the usual difficulties and joys that make up the fabric of everyday life for the average person. Instead, he followed Jesus. Was life easier? Hardly! For three years he followed Jesus through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria as He preached. He, like Jesus, had no home, had no place to lay his head. Often he had no idea where the next meal was coming from. He watched in disbelief as Jesus fearlessly infuriated the religious leadership of the day by preaching the truth. He felt the fear of losing his leader as Jesus was nearly stoned on one occasion, nearly thrown off a cliff on another. He felt discouragement as he saw the multitudes melt away when the bread and miracles were replaced by hard, straightforward preaching. He felt the doubt as Jesus told His disciples that He would be betrayed and crucified. He felt the sting of Jesus’ rebuke, “Get behind me, Satan, your mind is on earthly things rather than the things of God,” when insisting to Jesus that He wouldn’t suffer that fate. He felt the weariness in the garden of Gethsemane as Jesus prayed, the sudden anger as he cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant, followed by the confusion as Jesus told him to put up his sword and healed the ear. He felt grief while seeing Jesus on trial, beaten and bruised; terror when surrounded by staring eyes, accusing faces, pointing fingers; guilt after denying Jesus over and over, cursing and swearing that he didn’t know Him. Even after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, Peter’s life was hardly easy. He was arrested repeatedly, beaten publicly, sentenced to death by Herod, delivered by an angel, only to end his life crucified upside down. No, this life following Jesus was not easy, emotionally or physically. He could have been safe and secure, content and comfortable, going through life as a fisherman. He would have lived a long, peaceful life with no added troubles, without Satan as his particular adversary who was trying to “sift him as wheat.” His life would have been so much easier! If he had refused Jesus’ call he would have never seen the miracles. He would never have seen a lame man walk or raised the dead. He would never have had such power that handkerchiefs from his body or even his shadow falling on a person had power to heal. He wouldn’t have been there on the Day of Pentecost, speaking in tongues as the Holy Ghost filled him. He would have never preached that day, giving us the keys to the kingdom. He brought the message of salvation into the world because he decided to follow Jesus. He would never have seen thousands respond to his preaching, follow his God-given instructions, and be saved. Knowing all of this would Peter, looking back over his life at the end, have changed his decision to follow Jesus? Not likely. If Peter had never followed Jesus what lasting impact would his life have had? We certainly would not be reading about him and talking about him 2,000 years later if he went through life too tied to his old routine to follow Jesus and the plan Jesus had for him. Each of us has a calling from God. He is calling each of us first to follow Him and know Him, then to be saved, and, finally, to tell others of our salvation so they can be saved, too. Maybe you’re thinking that you’re nothing special, that God can’t use you because you’re not qualified. But do you think Peter was something special? No, he was only special because God called him out of all the fishermen lining that beach and decided to use him. You don’t have to be something special; if God chooses you, He’ll also prepare you for the purpose He has called you to do. We especially as young people, like Peter, have a decision to make. Will we hold on to our old life? Will we seek peace and prosperity, success and security? Or will we follow the One who is calling us to a higher purpose? What will you choose? Will you cling to the things this world has to offer, rejecting the plan God has for you? Or will you, like Peter, leave everything behind to follow the One who has called you to a higher calling than just the average, just the everyday? Will you try only to survive? Or will you let go and truly live? ninetyandnine.com
© 2006, Nathan Maki ----- Nathan Maki is currently completing his bachelor’s degree in Journalism and History at Carleton University. When he’s not studying like mad, he loves kicking back with a good book, playing foosball, or talking with his fiancée Rachel. Well…mostly he’s just studying like mad. Check back with him when he’s finished school. Nathan is also youth leader at Stittsville United Pentecostal Church, the greatest group of spirit-filled young people you’re likely to find anywhere. He hopes to pastor and write Christian novels. |
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