“Beaten at his own game”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Thursday, April 27, 2023

Luke 5:1-11 (Forward, p. 88) CEV p. 1061

Peter was an experienced and wise fisherman. He knew the lake and its moods, and he knew the ways of the fish that inhabited it. And yet, for all his hard work and patient endurance that previous night he and his fellow workers had caught nary a thing, not one fish. And so, tired and frustrated they came ashore that morning to wash their nets and ‘count their loses.’ Presumably, they gave it up as a done deal, a wasted night, and probably wondered whether their next attempts would be any better. Certainly, they weren’t about to try again very soon. They wrote this off as a lost cause. Either the fish weren’t there, or, for some reason, they weren’t biting.

So, when Jesus broached the idea of rowing out to the deep water and trying just one more time, Peter was quite understandably miffed and taken aback. No wonder he protested to Jesus. After all, he was the expert and he’d tried his best.

Nevertheless, humbling himself a bit, he took Jesus at His word and tried again. And, much to his total amazement, there were fish galore. In fact, there were so many fish that his nets began to tear, and when starting to fill his own boat and that of his partners, both boats began to sink.

So, here, at least in Peter’s estimation, was something most odd, most perplexing. How could this be? Clearly there was ‘something else’ at work here, something supernatural. This was something spooky, for he had no natural, earthly explanation for it. He had tried his best—and now this! No wonder he fell down at Jesus’ feet and implored Him to leave.

Presumably Jesus lifted up by the hand and brought him to his feet, for then He said something very strange. “Don’t be afraid! From now on you will be bringing in people instead of fish.” And, at that, Peter and his three colleagues left their boats and nets and everything else and went with Jesus.

What this puts me in mind of is when God takes us ‘out of our comfort zones’, of when He does something unfamiliar and unexpected, especially in areas where we think ‘we know everything’ or ‘have everything under control.’ Here I think of Steve Martin in his role as Jonas Nightengale, a fake faith healer who manipulates people and situations into the appearance of performing miracles, but then is surprised when God takes over and actually does heal people and answer prayer. I think that all of us are surprised when God actually take over our lives and situations. And that, that exactly, is what Peter and his colleagues agree to, and what, yes, all of us in our baptism and confirmation affirm as well. To let God take over, yes, even in those areas where we think we know best, to be beaten ‘at our own game’, even as Peter was. Amen.

Forward notes: “Put out into the deep water” (verse 4b).

“I love the ocean, but I have a fear of deep water—and of whatever might live in that deep water! I prefer watching the waves to being in them.

“On a beach that I visit in the Outer Banks in North Carolina, a red flag often waves from the pole, warning of dangerous riptides. On the other hand, a stone on the way to the steps down to the sand reads: ‘Deep peace of the running wave be with you.’

“I like to think I am less afraid of the metaphorical depths and shallows. I enjoy going deep into a writing project, into a relationship, into enjoying the gifts of the present moment. But to be honest, when it comes to my relationship with God, I have often stayed in the shallows. It is easy to go it by rote, without allowing myself to enter more fully into the vulnerability of a life of faith. There are times to be prudent and avoid deep water but also times to be secure in the one who is ruddering our ship.”

Moving Forward: “Are you ready to move into a deeper relationship with God? Start with a daily practice of reading scripture and prayer and a weekly practice of corporate worship.”