“If You Say So”

4 When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch."  

5 Simon said, "Master, we've been fishing hard all night and haven't caught even a minnow. 

But if you say so, I'll let out the nets." 6 It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, 

straining the nets past capacity.  Luke 5:4-6

I was reading a new devotional book recently and the passage for the day was Luke 5:1-11.  This is the story about Jesus teaching from the shoreline and then he directs Simon Peter to cast off from shore and go fishing.  Simon’s response is interesting.  He first tells Jesus the obvious.  I’ll paraphrase, “We’ve been out there fishing all night and haven’t caught a thing.”  In our walk with the Lord many believers STOP here!  After the Lord leads and directs us—we in turn give Him our best argument as to why we shouldn’t do what He is directing us to do.

Simon had his argument ready.  He knew the area.  He’d fished that lake for years.   He had the primo fishing spots.  He knew when and where to let down his nets.  We don’t really know for sure all the thoughts that may have run through Simon’s head after Jesus instructed him to “Push out into the deep water and let your nets out for a catch.”  But scripture does record Simon’s follow-up to this statement.  He said, “…But if you say so, I'll let out the nets."

 Every Sunday School kid knows the rest of this story.  The nets were lowered and when they pulled them out of the water they were so full of fish the nets were breaking.  Simon had to call for more boats to help transport all the fish back to shore. 

This is one of those “Amazing” things the Lord did.  This week the Lord may have something Amazing in store for you.  Will you stop short of your miracle or will you say as Simon did, “…if you say so…” and not miss the miracle.  I wonder how many times I’ve missed the “net full of fish” because I STOPPED. 

“If You Say So”

By Beverly Roberts

Did I Hit You or Did You Hit Me?

Years ago, I worked in a Childcare teaching the little ones music.  Sometimes while singing or playing instruments we would jump, stomp, crawl, twirl, skip, or march.  One time during a marching around songs we were swinging our arms, and one little four year old boy accidentally bumped heads with another boy.  I saw it unfold right before my eyes and anticipated that things were going to turn ugly quickly.  I could not have testified in a court of law whose fault it was. 

The boys each stopped grabbed their heads and looked at each other.  The looks on their faces were priceless.  Do I cry?  Am I mad?  Did he hit me on purpose?  Did I hit him?  Then suddenly one blurts out. “I’m sorry!  Are you okay?”  Immediately they resumed their marching, swinging their arms and singing. 

Everything hung in the balance for about five seconds.  It was no ones fault.  It was an accident.  What could have been tears and the demise of music class for both boys turned out to be a few second incident that was easily resolved because one boy responded correctly.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14 )

This week you may find yourself in a head bumping situation.  Are you prepared to respond correctly?

Did I Hit You or Did You Hit Me? 

By Beverly Joy Roberts

A Cup Full Of Sweet Water

When I was a teenager I loved to write little quotes in my Bible.  Every blank page was filled with youthful collection of meaningful nuggets, sermon notes, or memorable poems.  In the many years since my youth I have often wished I could read some of those poems and quotes that still linger in my fading memory.  These little gems will surface every once in awhile and make for a perfect illustration.     

One of the quotes I can quickly recall I first jotted down over forty years ago in my Bible:   “A cup full of sweet water no matter how violently shaken can only spill out sweet water.”  Jesus said it another way, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

I can recall a little too quickly a few times in my life when the water that spilled out of my cup was anything but sweet.  Still, I am ever thankful for the gentle working of the Holy Spirit in my life to cultivate and work the fallowed ground.  

On the turbulent days when our cup gets bumped frequently let this scripture be what spills out, “Pleasant words are a honey comb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24) 

This week there’s a pretty good chance your cup is going to get bumped.  Will you purpose in your heart NOW to let kindness be the rule of the day?    

A Cup Full Of Sweet Water

By Beverly Joy Roberts