The One Belonging to Simon
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. – Luke 5:10b-11, NIV
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” -Isaiah 6:8, NIV
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. – Hebrews 11:6, NIV
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. -James 4:7-10
God doesn’t do random. He has never once did anything ‘by chance’ as we are prone to say. He’s far too loving for random. In fact, what we see throughout redemptive history as the Bible reveals it, are clear examples of God choosing a moment and a person and meeting them in that space. That’s exactly what happens in Luke 5:1-11. Jesus chooses the boat belonging to Simon (v3) because, He is choosing Simon. It was Simon’s moment. God had come to meet with him and from that meeting on, his life would be on a different course. And then, there’s us. God doesn’t randomly choose you as a follower of Jesus; He set that plan in motion before the creation of the world. (see Ephesians 1:3-4) But, we don’t have a God who rescues and saves us and then steps back to see what happens next. You aren’t a Holy Spirit-filled pull back car that God gave some spiritual potential energy to and is now watching at a distance to see if you run into a wall or another obstacle. He is our loving Heavenly Father. He is constantly at work and inviting us into deeper and deeper relationship with Him. He wants that relationship to touch everything we do and are. That is in fact, what He’s rescued us for, relationship and co-mission. We are to be His relationally. We are to join Him in the work He is already doing. Simon (and James and John) had a moment that changed their lives because, Jesus choose Simon’s boat. I believe He is in your boat too. The first step you must take is obedience. Seek God. Draw near to Him, repenting of your sins and see what happens next. I believe you will encounter God. And, when we encounter God, He will change you. He will move you. He invites us into His activity. Jesus was already doing the work of fishing for men when He invited Simon and Zebedee’s boys to join Him. He’s still doing what He said and now the invitation is yours. Will you answer with, “Here am I. Send me!”?
Questions for life application/further discussion:
Have you had a moment in your life where you knew for certain that you encountered God (a thin place)? How did that moment change you?
When did you last take time to seek after God? What happened?
When Jesus’ commands to you are clear, is your obedience a ‘say so’ kind of obedience or an awe filled kind of obedience?
Joel B. Green says this of Simon, James and John as he comments on verse 11, “Leaving all that has been of value, they will now find their fundamental sense of belonging and being in relationship to Jesus, the community being built around him, and the redemptive purpose he serves.” How much of that statement can you personalize? Is there a certain part of it you struggle with more than others (leaving all, sense of belonging and being, the community of Jesus, the redemptive purpose he serves)?
Further Resources:
On Thin Places: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/gifts-thin-place/