Peter-The Catch that Threw Me Overboard

By Mary Vee
Luke 5

From Peter's Journal 

Photo by Mary Vee
Sea of Galilee-Where Peter lived and fished

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus and a fisherman. I had gone out fishing all night with my friends. We didn't catch a thing. That happens sometimes. It's annoying, but it happens.

My fishing partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee and I docked out boats alongside other fishermen's boats. The location was like a marketplace on the north side of the Sea of Galilee. People came first thing in the morning to buy fresh fish as it came in off the boats. It was pretty crowded.

I notice Jesus on the rocky shore. Apparently, the people who came to buy fish noticed him, too. They gathered around him as he began to speak. 

The more he spoke the more people gathered around him. 

There were two boats close together, one was mine. Jesus, seeing my boat was empty, climbed into it. He asked me to push off a little ways from shore. The crowds moved into the space where Jesus had been standing. From the boat, Jesus continued to talk to those on the shore. His voice carried really well over the water to them. 

The other men who fished with me helped steady the boat and keep it in place. Jesus sat down and continued talking to the crowd.

When He finished his talk, He turned to me and said, "Put out to the deep."

I thought, now? We'd just come in from fishing.

He said, "Put your nets down, out in the deep."

I shrugged. I said, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. The fish just aren't biting. But, because you say so,I will let down the nets."

Seriously, I didn't know what to expect. Theoretically, there shouldn't be any fish coming into the nets. Then again, Jesus was in the boat and He is the one who said to put the nets down. I'm intrigued to see what will happen.

So, I did. 

Before the nets had been in the water a minute, the nets pulled down. That only happened when fish swam into them. I was amazed. My fishing partners were amazed as well. We grabbed hard on the line, pulling up as fast as we could, barely heaving the tremendous weight into the boat at all. The netting stretched and broke in places. This was going to be a huge catch. The biggest one I've ever seen!

Just that fast.

We couldn't keep up with the weight of the fish. I was concerned too many of the lines would be broken and we'd lose the catch. Other fishermen were near by. We called to them to come help. They rowed their boats close to ours and grabbed hold of the lines, tugging with all their strength. There was so much fish we filled both of the boats. 

The weight of the fish pushed the boats lower in the water. I thought we might sink. 

Everything happened so fast. I had never seen so many fish in the boats. This was the greatest catch I had every seen. I dropped everything and went to Jesus. I fell to my knees, so overwhelmed all I could do was say, "Go away from me Lord." Ever moment I was near this man I saw he was much more than just a man. So much more. He was and is the Savior. The Christ. God's Son. "I am a sinful man!"

Oh, if only you could have seen all that fish, you'd understand how overwhelmed we were. 

Jesus said to me, "Don't be afraid. From now on you will catch men. Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men." 

It didn't take me even a second to leave everything behind, our fishing boats, our fishing business, our families and followed Jesus as our full time work. I had so much to learn. And I wanted to learn everything I could from Him.

Come back to read the next story.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.