Don’t be startled by God’s call because He is always working in our lives in ways we are not aware of. Noah was going about his life when God called him to build an ark to save his family from the flood. Moses was a simple Shepherd in the Sinai desert when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Peter was just going about life as a fisherman when Jesus called him to be a disciple.
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man…”10 Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”[1] The word Jesus uses for afraid is phobeo. It can mean to fear or hesitate to do something, or to be startled.[2]
There are times we are startled by God’s call because we may believe we are not up to the task. As we examine ourselves, we think that somehow God has made a mistake. We may think, “Lord, I am too sinful, I don’t have the skill, I am too old, or too young,” and the list goes on.
Jesus Works to Prepare Our Hearts
Peter had met Jesus before when his brother Andrew introduced him. John 1:42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). [3] In our lives, Jesus is often at work transforming our hearts as He prepares us for deeper things.
On this occasion, Jesus was teaching along the Sea of Galilee when he asked Peter to use his boat to teach those who were by the shore. After Jesus was done teaching, he asked Peter to go out into deeper water and let down your nets for a catch. Peter knew this was not the time of day to catch fish, but trusting Jesus, he did. The catch of fish was so great that the nets began to break. The miracle of this great catch of fish was a foreshadowing of Peter’s call to fish for people.
Saying Yes to God’s Call
God’s call often comes in ways that startle us. It might be a sudden conviction, an unexpected opportunity, a challenge that stretches us beyond our comfort zone, or a divine encounter that exposes our weaknesses. Like Peter, we might feel inadequate, unqualified, or even fearful of the magnitude of what God is asking. We might be tempted to pull back, to say, “Go away from me, Lord, I’m not good enough.” But just as Jesus reassured Peter, He reassures us.
His call is never based on our perfection or our current abilities, but on His perfect plan and the work of His Spirit in us. The very same power that filled Peter’s nets to breaking point is the power that enables us to serve in God’s Kingdom. So, don’t be startled by God’s call, its demands or your perceived limitations. Instead, remember Peter’s experience.
Acknowledge the awe, perhaps even the fear, but then fix your eyes on the One who calls. He is with you, He will equip you, and He will guide you. Embrace the call, step out in faith, and watch as He transforms your life and uses you for His eternal purposes.
To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/the-radical-reorientation
[1,3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] G5399, Strong, J. (1995). In Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.