Day 18 Get into the Boat

 

1/18/2026

"Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

Luke 5:4

 

Today Pastor Greg was sharing about Peter's first encounter with Jesus at the Lake of Gennesaret. Peter was returning from fishing all night, and he was exhausted and frustrated, because he had not caught a single fish. This is how he earned his living, so I can imagine how much this weighed on his mind as the bread winner, and he was responsible to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus had been teaching the people who had gathered by the sea, and He asked Peter if he could get into his boat to continue teaching. I loved this scene in the series The Chosen, because Peter's obvious displeasure about the situation was obvious, however, he did allow Jesus to get into his boat. The account in the Gospel of Luke did not mention Peter's brother, Andrew, as being present, but he did mention James and John, sons of Zebedee. I mention Andrew, Peter's brother, because he was the one who told Peter about Jesus in the first place. Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist who was present when Jesus came to be baptized. Andrew was also a fisherman, so he was probably there. Jesus told Peter to launch out a little way and drop his nets. Peter told Jesus he'd been fishing all night and hadn't caught anything. Peter, whose livelihood was fishing knew the waters, nonetheless, He did as Jesus asked. That's when he got the catch of fish he wasn't expecting. Too many for one net, but Jesus did say "let down your nets," so when his net could not contain all the fish, he called for James and John. When Peter realized who Jesus was, he fell to his knees saying "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (Luke 5:8). Jesus told him not to be afraid, and then he called Peter, James, and John to be "fishers of men." 

There was another time when Jesus asked His disciples to get into a boat and cross over the Sea of Galilee to the other side. While Jesus was sleeping in the bottom of the boat a storm came up, and the disciples feared they would be drowned as the waves were violent, and the boat was filling with water. So they decided to arouse Jesus from His sleep out of panic for their lives. Jesus sat up, spoke to the winds, and they obeyed, the sea quieting down (Luke 8:22-25). This astonished the disciples who wondered who He was that even the wind and the seas obeyed Him. Jesus asked them why they had such little faith. After all they had been with Him and witnessed many miracles that same day, even the raising of the widow of Nain's son who was being carried out of the city in a funeral procession (Luke 7:11-17). Jesus had compassion on her sensing that her only son had died, and she had no means of support as a widow. So He told the man to rise, and he did, causing fear in the people who witnessed it. Then they gave praise and glory to God! 

After the feeding of the 5,000 found in John 6, the crowds were pressing in on Jesus, so He separated Himself to go to the mountainside to pray, while the disciples got into the boat to cross over to Capernaum. During the night a storm blew up, and the disciples were rowing against the torrent, frightened for their lives. When Jesus sees them stuck out in the middle of the storm, He walks on the water to get over to help them. The sight of Him frightened them, as they thought He was a ghost. When he got closer, He told them not to fear that it was Him, and Peter asked Jesus to call to him. Jesus did, telling Peter to keep his eyes on Him. At first Peter did, but later Peter sunk when he looked down. We are always told "Don't look down!" but Peter did and down he went, until Jesus pulled him up, and they got into the boat, the storm settling down.

Pastor Greg's approach to this lesson was not the same as my focus here. He mentioned the first story from Luke 5 and the net overflowing with fish, and he looked at instances where the three apostles were included and the others left outside. He suggested that perhaps it was because of the three's ability to either put their foot in their mouth, like Peter, or perhaps it had something to do with the Sons of Thunder, as Jesus named John and James, the sons of Zebedee, who had quick tempers. We can only consider why these three were always in the "inner circle," as in the transfiguration, the rising of Jairus' daughter from the dead, and in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed asking the cup to be removed. I am considering their direction to "get into the boat, and go to the other side," and how it relates to our obedience.

Pastor Greg did ask if there was a time when God asked us to do something, and we didn't do it, or we hesitated. It's happened to me. I remember one time when I was a young mother, getting signatures from neighbors to stand for the Sanctity of Human Life, and a Christian refused to sign citing all kinds of statements that were not Biblical. I could take the non-Christian abuse, but this my young heart never thought possible. So I ran home, crying, telling God I wasn't going back out. I was given a vision of me hanging on to the doorknob, with a huge hand from heaven trying to pull me free. He wasn't cruel, nor did He tug, just a gentle nudge to let go, assuring me that He would go with me. I can't remember whether I went back out, but I'm pretty sure I did. I also had a similar time when I was distressed over something, and God gave me another vision of me as a child on my belly on the floor, kicking and screaming, and His finger was trying to still my fears by a giant finger against the middle of my back. I will never forget the Lord's insistence that I finish the job. My only thought as to why He chose me for these tasks is the same one I think every time He opens a door of opportunity: "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." (1 Corinthians 1:27-27). 

God wants our obedience. When I was waiting for a concrete answer about moving back home to Virginia after 35 years in New Mexico where my life had taken off finally, and I was living well, I need to make certain that He was the one saying to return, not me. After my divorce I never bought a home, as I was busy surviving, picking up the pieces, and it didn't seem to be a big deal. I was helping my daughter who was on disability, and I was working taking things as they came, and I enjoyed the home where I lived and my landlords and neighbors. I owned my own car, and I had a few possessions, second hand, but functional. I was content. After my daddy died, the home in Virginia was owned by me and my two siblings, and they wanted me to come home. About that time things began to change in New Mexico, and gradually over a period of years, I felt it was time to go home. I needed a home, and I already owned a third of one. Everything fell into place, but I wanted to make certain it was God's timing, and it just wasn't mine. Confirmation came in a text message from a friend who knew nothing of what I was doing, but the message said that God wanted me to "get into the boat, and go to the other side." The other side would be almost 2,000 miles driving, not by boat, but I got the message, and it became increasingly clearer by day, until on October 26, 2021 I ended up in Virginia. And so it continues. Sadly, I have not been able to return to New Mexico to visit, but hopefully, things will turn around this year, and I will be able to do so. Often obedience comes at a high price, but obedience is better than sacrifice per 1 Samuel 15:22. So I have learned to obey God. His is the best and only way.