Simon Says...

One time, in the days of Jesus:  Simon (Peter) and his friends had been fishing all night and never even caught one, single fish.  So Jesus comes along and tells them to try again.  Simon was skeptical but did it anyway.  He and his friends caught so much fish that the net was breaking!  Even the boats, BOTH boats, were overflowing with fish!  Then instead of saying, "Thank you," to Jesus, Simon says, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"  But Jesus replies, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men"  (Luke 5:4-11).  This passage has a few different symbolic meanings, but the one I see most vividly is God's grace. 

When we sin or carry a burden, it consumes us.  It is all we can think about and becomes our focus.  We try to find a break from it, but because we are so focused on it, we cannot find one on our own.  So here comes Jesus.  He simply asks us to try again.  Because we are curious of what He can do, we do as He says.  Part of us (the flesh part) want to prove Him wrong that we cannot be healed, but the other part (the spirit part) yearn to trust Him, for "the spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matt. 26:41).  And then, because we CHOSE to trust Him, a miracle happens.  Our net (our sinful bondage) breaks.  We become overflowed with His grace, so much so that we are sinking in His grace.  We are not only forgiven of our sins and released from our bondage, but we are made new.  We become free.  The only thing we must do is "lower our nets."

Jesus' response is interesting, because He doesn't go away as Simon instructed Him.  Instead, He calls Simon, and all of us, to do the same.  He wants us to release others of their sinful bondage, as He released Simon and as He releases us.  Jesus says, "Don't be afraid," for people will come at His calling, not through our expertise.   We have the ability to lead people to His grace.  Once we do just that, He will pour out His love over them, so much love that they will sink in His ocean of grace.  

Let Him cover you in His love.  He wants to break you of your captivity, whatever it may be.  He loves you and wants you all to Himself.  So let Him.  Take a chance; do as He says.  :]