Deep water...

Sometimes life feels like hard, frustrating work!

I can commiserate with Peter (Lk 5:5): "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing". Indeed, there are times we expend all our efforts and end up feeling worn down, dejected... all that hard work and nothing to show for it. At Peter's low point, Jesus came alongside him, got in the boat with him, then asked him to "put out into deep water".

Perhaps we're spending too much time and effort in the shallow water, in the things that have no eternal value, in the trivial and superficial ways of the world. Perhaps we have no catch because we have not invited Jesus in, have not asked Him to be with us and remain with us as we carry out this work of life. And perhaps this is precisely why we have no catch, no meaning, no fulfilment, no joy, no fruits of abundant living- we are working hard on our own agendas, but have not stopped to seek God's will for our lives .

Jesus is asking me, asking you, to put out into deep water... deeper into relationship with Him, deeper into our efforts with others, deeper out of our comfort zone, away from the safety of the shoreline... He is with us! He is asking us to lower our nets, lower our defenses, open our hearts; let go of pride and selfishness and unforgiveness, and every other vice that would hinder our relationship with Him.

We may be weary; we may have "worked hard all night", may have tried things our way and failed. May we respond like Peter, "but at your command I will lower the nets". Here's the thing... He promises a great catch! He gives in abundance, allowing us to give to others from our overflow. There are still people to catch, people waiting to hear the good news of God's love and mercy... let's not be afraid to put out into deep water.