Calling us to something more (Luke 5)

Have you ever stood in the presence of something or someone who made you feel so insignificant?

I have had a couple of times in my life when I have met famous people at least famous to me. The first one that comes to mind is the band, big tent revival. I watched them play their show and worshiped with them as they played. Then after they got off stage I found them back stage and met them all and asked if I could pray with them. They were very open to it and we had a nice time together. I felt welcomed and encouraged through this meeting.

The other time coming to mind is when I met or rather ran into a rather famous christian hip hop star. We were both in the the crowd of a different concert mingling with the people who were there. I called out his name and he turned towards me. I told him how I had been a long time fan and how his music had helped me stay connected to God. I told him how I was now in youth ministry and continued to reach out to students, thanking him for inspiring me. At least that's what I wanted to say. But he brushed me off so quick I barely had time to get it out of my mouth. I have chosen to believe he was just having a bad day.

In both meetings I felt a little in awe of these men who were such amazing musicians, who had inspired me and brought good things into my life. One of the meetings I was discouraged by and made to feel less significant. In the other meeting I was welcomed in and lifted up into who they were and what they were doing. It was a very cool thing.

In Luke chap 5 Jesus is teaching on the shore. He asks Simon (Peter) to allow him to use his boat so he can teach the people from the lake, which would probably amplify his voice, plus give him some space to see and teach from. After he is done teaching he tells Peter to push out and let his nets down for a catch. Peter grumbles his reply, "we have been fishing all night, but if you say so." They let down their nets and they are so filled with fish Peter has to call in back up and even with two boats the catch is so large the boats start to sink. Peter in awe of who Jesus is, falls to his knees and cries out, "leave me Lord I am a sinful man."

Peter has met his celebrity fisherman if you will and recognizes he is more than that. He must be divine or at least sent by God. Jesus could have left Peter groveling in his insignificance, he could have brushed him off, but he doesn't. Jesus calls Peter into something greater. Jesus saw who Peter would become and he called him out of his catching of fish to his catching of men. Perhaps Jesus even saw the day of Pentecost when through Peter's preaching 3000 people would choose to follow Jesus and be baptized.

We may find we recognize our insignificance when we are in the presence of a Holy God. Peter fell to his knees in declaration of his sinfulness and Job when he met God stated that he despised himself. But God doesn't leave us there. He calls us into something more; Peter into fishing for men, Job to pray and offer a sacrifice for his friends. We are so much less in comparison to God, but God sees us as so much more than we know of ourselves.

May we encounter God today and fall to our knees at his holiness and may he raise us up and call us into something more.