Tuesday 2 October 2012

Day #24 - Jesus' Miracles: listening


Day 24
Jesus’ Miracles: listening

Read: Luke 5:4-11


Listening is a key to seeing. Today’s reading is a miracle “seen”, one that commenced with listening to Jesus. The crowd were listening to Jesus’ words, the young disciples listened heard and obeyed his words. As the followed his words a miraculous catch happened for these disciple-fishermen. They initially wrestled with his instruction, having in their view two good reasons to not listen; their past experience and expertise. They were professional fishermen, night was a better time to fish and they had already worked all night. Yet Peter was obedient because Jesus had spoken. He was beginning to see Jesus was more than a mere man.  Sure, in reading the story, a modern sceptic could give a rational explanation.   But these men knew God had miraculously intervened. They listened and obeyed; highlighting how “obedience” is another way to spell “faith.”
The story is pertinent to us today.   We live in a world consumed by busyness.   We pride ourselves on how much we can fit into our days.   We buy the latest devices to save even more time, so we can get even more done.   Faced with life’s problems we rarely take the time to listen to what God’s Spirit might be whispering to us.
Like Peter, we too are called to engage in “catching people” - connecting them with Jesus, encouraging them in becoming his’ followers, welcoming them to “belong in God’s family.”    But we will never be able to do so based on past experience, expertise, and strength.  We must see God’s supernatural hand at work in our lives and in those around us. People-transformation miracles start with, listening to the Spirit, and obeying through acts of “faith in fishing.”
Ponder Point (reflect)
  • Jesus knows what he is doing when he asks me to act
Consider (respond)
  • What is Jesus saying to me?

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