DAY #95: Mark 5:1-11

What a great day we have planned. I pray that you will experience the joy of bringing a friend or family member to COV, where they can hear a message of hope. I also encourage you to stay afterwards for a great time of fellowhip and food and watching kids have a blast looking for those Easter eggs.

Today, we see Jesus continued his teaching tour. He was now preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Word about Jesus had spread everywhere, so great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. Jesus could stand on the shore and the people could sit on the hillsides to listen. On this occasion, the crowds were pushing in and around him, practically backing him into the lake!

Jesus got into a boat, called to its owner, Simon (Peter), and asked him to push it out into the water. From this position, Jesus sat and taught the crowds.

After His teaching, Jesus then suggested that they go fishing. Simon explained that they had worked hard all the night before and didn’t catch a thing. Jesus said, however, “You will catch many fish.” Simon rounded up his partners and other workers, put the huge net they had been cleaning back into the boat, rowed out to the deeper water, spread the net, and then begun to row and draw the net together.

They followed Jesus’ instructions and their nets were so full they began to tear! Simon and his workers began to haul in the catch of fish, but the weight of the nets was too much. So they shouted for help from their partners in the other boat, and pulling together they began to dump the fish into the both boats until they were on the verge of sinking. Obviously this was not an ordinary catch by any standards.

When the fishing party landed, they left behind the biggest catch they had ever seen and followed Jesus. Jesus had not come along with them to give them a good catch and a good day’s wage; Jesus had come to change their professions and priorities forever. They understood the picture he had given them of what he was calling them to do, and they left their ships and nets behind and followed.



SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

Obey in a greater way than ever. Obey His word. Obey His promptings in my heart. Just flat out obey. I'm sure Peter was a bit miffed when Jesus suggested they go fishing. Who was this guy? But he obeyed. He listened and he did as Jesus said. Oh God, give me a heart like that.

Further, Peter was so moved by the miracle he had just witnessed that he left his job, he left his partners and he became a follower of Jesus. Peter became a disciple. Would to God that the power of God would flow through the preaching and teaching and worship and ministry, where people felt the call of God and whatever the cost, they would follow. Whatever price they would have to pay, they would pay it.

Lord, raise up whole-hearted, radical followers for you.