LIFE-CHANGING FAITH
Luke 5:1-11
I once read that the middle of January was among the most depressing times of year for people everywhere. You would surmise the reason would be due to the lack of sunlight during the daytime or colder weather. The real reason some folks are down this early in the year may surprise you. It is around this time in January that credit card and store bills are due from Christmas shopping. Reality sets in for many and aggravation accompanies their thoughts. Also, by this stage of January others have neglected their well-intended resolutions they so passionately committed to only a couple of weeks earlier.
One aspect of the Christian life that should never be lost with a fleeting resolution or cause for a post-Christmas let down is faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and we are comforted by the fact that faith itself is a gift from God. Faith is more than an expression and greater than a mindset, it is life changing.
Faith begins when we hear God’s word. (1-3)
The conduit of faith that leads to everlasting life cannot be separated or disconnected from God’s word. This fact speaks to the authority of the word of God and our richest blessing to obey. I appreciate the reminder in this text that God’s word comes to us in what we perceive as our most ordinary times. Peter, known for his commercial fishing business was washing his nets following an unproductive night of fishing. In this world of perpetual busyness, we can find ourselves not listening to the words of God in the daily routine or what we consider the monotonous. Men such as Moses and David heard from the Lord while simply doing their assigned tasks. The same can be true for us as well.
Faith is simply acting on what Christ calls us to do. (4-7)
It is amazing how good of a job some Christians can do when it comes to complicating the most basic of ideas. I spent 45 minutes once in a meeting discussing the best way to boil a potato! Talk about a waste of time. Faith is simply obedience. It is not a leap, a jump, or blind belief. Faith is the conviction that God loves us, and we trust Him to do what He promises to do. He will never leave us, and He will always provide what we need, at the precise moment we need it. Because of Peter’s love and trust of Jesus, he obeyed. There is a direction connection between our level of love and faith in Christ. Even when the circumstances do not make sense in our finite minds, or we find ourselves in a minority, trusting Christ will never leave us disappointed.
Jesus calls us to a life of trust in Him. (8-11)
Peter’s response to the blessing of an abundance of fish may strike us as odd, but there is something to be considered. By falling at the feet of Jesus, Peter was acknowledging the power and provision that can only be found in the Lord. Also, when he bowed at the feet of Jesus, he is recognizing God as holy and beyond human comprehension. Faith is the awareness and dependence upon something bigger than we can manufacture for ourselves. Because of the goodness of Jesus and the faith/obedience of Peter, others were able to witness the miraculous work of Christ. As we begin to settle into the year 2024, how is the measure of your faith? The faith you show can be the same faith to change lives around you. Trust Him! Throw out your nets and see what happens this year.
By Bobby McKay
Pastor of New Liberty Baptist Church in Morton, Mississippi
