Abandoning Ship

Jesus saw two boats pulled up on the beach.

The fishermen had left them

and were washing their nets….

[they had] worked hard all night long and caught nothing.

Luke 5:2, 5

It’s no secret that I find perseverance in the face of discouragement exceptionally difficult.

Sometimes, to the unwitting observer, I come across as a motivated person - but it’s an attitude that really only holds true for things that I believe I am or can be highly successful in.

Confronted with not being good at something – or, worse still, being less good than someone else at something – mine is a fight or flight response: I will very quickly improve, driven by competition, or I will throw in the towel as graciously as one who has no interest in succeeding.

There have been many boats I’ve left behind on the beach; many hard night’s work I’ve washed my hands of and deemed futile.

And I think sometimes I expect Christ to meet me in my petulant abandonment of those things; to immediately ask me to leave everything and follow Him.

But that’s not what He asks.

Get back in the boat.

Far from leaving those pesky ships abandoned on the shore, the Lord not only asks us to return to them, but to let Him in too.

I don’t want Jesus to get in my boat. 

I don’t want to invite Him in to the long distance running I gave up on six years ago because of a sprained ankle, or the songs I’m afraid to sing because I know other people have better voices, or the ministry of public speaking I’m secretly terrified of because I don’t believe I’ll ever ‘catch anyone’ for the Lord.

But deep down I know that, like those first disciples, His first mission for me is the one I'm already equipped for: catching plain old fish.

Before our new life in Christ takes shape, He first invites Himself into the life we are already living. He asks us to push out into deeper water and lower our nets - the nets we already own - for a catch.

Do not be afraid.

Sometimes I want to cry like Peter, "Lord, get away from me!" I am unworthy. I make mistakes. I'm going to mess up your will if you dare entrust it to me - see how unfaithful I am with little things? Why would you dare entrust me with building your kingdom?

As a beautiful nun said to me today, "All of us have flaws. None of us are perfect. You have to be fully human, authentically yourself with all of your gifts, skills, weaknesses and imperfections. It's when those things are centred on Christ that He will effect greatness."

Get back in the boat. Push out into deep waters and put your nets out for a catch.

Do not be afraid.

And know that your discouragement never goes unnoticed.

There is a stranger with compassionate eyes walking along the shoreline who sees not only your potential to succeed in what you are already doing, but to push out into deeper water and, eventually, to leave those boats behind to follow Him.

He meets us at the point of giving up, shows us the way to persevere – that with Him we can and will succeed; first in the mission field we are already in, using the nets we already possess, and one day, when we are ready, in the path He forges for us.

Do not be afraid.

There are two reasons why people abandon ship. The first is because they've worked all night, caught nothing and are ready to wash their nets. 

The second?

They pulled the boats up on the beach

left everything

and followed Jesus

Luke 5:11

AMDG