So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. — Luke 5:1-6 (NKJV)

This passage contains several points of interest to those who would be followers of Christ Jesus; most important is Peter’s statement of trust/obedience to Jesus in verse 5b. We should always trust God and obey His word; even when they would have us break from our precious, and time-honored traditions.

Jesus’ words to Peter in verse 4 require his trust; and also the willingness to do things differently, rather than conventionally. Fishermen usually fished at night when the fish came into the shallows to feed. Jesus told them to “launch out into the deep”, leaving the comfort of tradition, and trusting Jesus. Peter was willing to go against the grain of tradition and trust that Jesus knew best.

How often do we hide behind tradition and continue in the comfortable shallows, instead of “launching out into the deep” as Jesus says? The love of tradition by our denominations, is per-haps the greatest hindrance to the spreading of the gospel; our refusal to try new things con-fines us to the methods that are failing.

We are like children denied access to the deep end of the pool for so long that we have lost our desire to leave the shallow waters of tradition. Often heard as reasons for such refusal — “We don’t believe that in our church”; “That’s just not who I am”; “My grandmother never did that” — only excuses that continue to confine us to the shallows of ministry, and of allegiance to Jesus.

Be willing to leave the shallows; “Launch out into the deep …”

Rev. Bobby Thornhill is a retired pastor.