Luke 5:5 “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”
Empty Nets
Michigan is a beautiful state with gorgeous lakes, but Michigan is also home to the stingiest fish in America. I know this firsthand! Earlier this year, my sons and I went fishing with a pastor friend, and while both of my boys and the pastor caught something, yours truly caught absolutely nothing. I am convinced the fish are stingy and don’t like the thought of being hooked by some Tennessee preacher!
In Luke chapter five, Peter had been fishing all night and caught exactly nothing. I know the feeling of catching nothing! Peter caught nothing after a long night of fishing, but he caught a net full when he responded in obedience to Christ’s command. What was the difference? His work the second time was in obedience to Christ. Faith moves the God of Heaven!
In the work of the Lord, does it ever feel like you have toiled all night but nothing has happened? Truthfully, God is not impressed by how hard you work. He is moved by our faith, not by our work. So few people today know what it means to work well and to work hard. When you see a hard worker these days, he stands out from the crowd. So why is it that the Lord puts a premium on our trusting and not on our toiling?
The answer is, God is moved by our faith, not by our work. That is true for salvation, but it is also true for living the Christian life every day. Often we think that if we can just work harder and longer at doing right, we will somehow gain the favor of our Heavenly Father. No sir! God is pleased by our faith. Faith in Christ today produces the very work that pleases God.
Your hard work is not a virtue if it stands alone. Hard work is not wrong, but it is pointless if it is not the product of faith in God. God is not moved by our work; He is moved by our faith.