Week 3 | Day 4 | Fishing Without Nets

Command:

Follow Me. Matthew 4:19 (NIV)

Read:

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:19-20 NIV

Reflect:

Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen who worked very hard to live a modest life. They would be considered small businessmen in today’s world. When Jesus said to them, “Come, follow me”, they immediately left their boat and nets and followed him. They left the very things that gave them security and control, so they could follow the Master. They hungered for something beyond the life they had lived.

Later Jesus encountered a young ruler who had wealth and power, and he too hungered for something more. This young ruler wanted eternal life. It may have been the last item on his control checklist. He wanted eternal life in his own terms, so he was not willing to surrender his wealth in order to follow Jesus. Wealth in itself is not a bad thing when it is surrendered to God, but his desire to control things and people through his wealth kept him from following Jesus.

Following Jesus requires me to choose his way instead of mine, to trust him and leave my nets of control behind in obedience to him. Following Jesus means to deny myself and love others and to forgive because I have been forgiven. Like Peter, Andrew, James and John, I want to go fishing for people, dispensing healing and hope in the name of Jesus, but I must first leave my nets behind.

React:

Do you hunger for something more in your life? Are you hanging on to any “nets” of control in your life? What is Jesus asking you to surrender so you can follow him in complete obedience?

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for inviting me to follow you. I decide to obey you without reservations. Today I surrender ________________.