Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
This passage of scripture describes for us an experience that the disciples had, when they saw first hand the power of Christ being exercised over the material world. Peter and the other fishermen had spent the previous night toiling for their daily bread, for this is how they lived, by catching and selling fish. But their labors that night were in vain, and when the morning came they were washing their nets, hoping for a more successful expedition at some other time. At this time Jesus came along and instead of addressing their temporal needs, He sought first to provide the multitudes with spiritual food, and by so doing Christ endeavored to show them that there are more important things in life other than the pursuit of their daily bread.
It is worthy of note that even though Peter and his brethren were disappointed at their failures, Christ did not encourage them in a "Why me" attitude, but rather asked Peter to participate in the work of soul saving by using his boat as a sort of pulpit, from which He could both see and teach the multitudes. Apparently Peter stayed the course with Christ and listened to His sermon, for he was there present when Jesus afterward asked him to launch out into the deep. This being done he enclosed so great a multitude of fish that he needed help receiving the blessing, and even when the needed help came, the boats began to sink because of the amount of fish that willingly obeyed the voice of Jesus.
There are some very precious lessons we can take away from this incident, one of them being that Peter stayed the course with Christ, even when issues in his material world were not going the way he had planned. Some of us as Christians only serve God when the material blessings of life are coming our way in a steady, abundant flow, but if these were to be removed we often become restless and discouraged, and our zeal for the kingdom of God often wanes dramatically. This ought not to be the case, for the service of God and our fellowman should always be our highest priority, and our greatest joy, and when this is the case on a consistent basis, God will supply what we need in the physical world, for He has promised to do just that.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should refocus our attention on the spreading of the gospel, for Christ did not commission us to make money or to get rich in this world's goods, but rather to carry the gospel to everyone we come in contact with. Let's read:
Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!