Because You Say So...

“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But, because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done so, they caught such a large number…” Luke 5:4-5

I love when passage becomes pulse and the words become alive in our walk! This happened this past week and I still sit on Simon’s shore in amazement much like he sat. There is a long running relationship with a person in the family regarding my father-in-law which at best as been challenging. We have been the target of so much anger, resentment and bitterness once the decision to bring him to our home was made. For four months we have been the enemy and the face of Alzheimer’s.

Things this past week were so fragile and I felt that everything for which we had worked regarding the care of my father-in-law was going to unravel. I arose one morning totally defeated knowing I was going to have to face this person. I spent two hours pleading with God to send relief, strength and resolution. I was basically told to ‘let down my nets in the same waters for which I had fished so many times before.’ I was to lower my net of compassion and love. I was to use the same bait of forgiveness and mercy that Christ gives us. I was to be a fisherman of peace in the waters of Christ and not navigate in my own murky waters. So, on that day in my little boat, I opened the nets of my heart and lowered them one more time because ‘He said so’. The reception for my approach was welcomed with complete surrender and acceptance on her part.

The blessings that have flowed since that day have been wonderful. Everything has fallen into place for the first time in five months. I have been fishing in those waters for many days but have come up empty in resolving this problem. God was working on her in her own heart and His timing of casting my net was crucial to the success of the situation.

Many times in our challenges, it is not that we are casting our nets in the wrong waters, but that the timing for our fishing expedition is not the timing of God. Keep your spiritual senses in tact so that you can hear when it is time to go fishing!