The First Miraculous Catch of Fish
by Patrick Chambron
The story of the Apostle Peter is rich in lessons for us: this remarkable man of God, used powerfully in healing and miracles, is an undeniable element in the building of the early Church. He was a really dynamic character, who left everything when Jesus called him.
However, he had his own need of inner healing and his own human weaknesses.
Peter had a call on his life – to be a fisher of men and a fervently evangelistic apostle, but this man who in some ways was quite sure of himself, had a deep problem with fear. He was gripped by fear three times when, after Jesus’ arrest, it was pointed out that he was one of Jesus’ disciples.
It’s clear that it wasn’t always the Lord who inspired Peter’s thinking. Jesus shared with Peter that His mission was to suffer and die for the salvation of mankind and Peter’s thoughts were carnal, but Jesus then addressed what was in Peter, not Peter himself, attributing it to Satan, (which suggests that Peter needed deliverance).
One day Jesus was teaching the crowds from Peter’s boat and then told Peter to go out into the deep water and cast his nets for fish. Despite having fished all night without any success, Peter does this and ‘they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break’(Luke 5:6). He was gripped by fear because he understood, through this powerful miracle, that Jesus was the Son of God and that he, a sinner, needed a Saviour more than anything else (Luke 5: 8-9). We might say “Glory to God, what a miraculous catch!” On the other hand when the net tore, a lot of the fish were lost, falling back into the sea. Even though the boats were full of fish, they would have been fuller still if the net hadn’t broken! The torn nets would have to be mended before they could be used again. But the time had come for Peter to give up fishing and to follow Jesus. In future he would be fishing for the souls of men.
Prayer: Thank You Lord that You provide miraculous answers to prayer, in seemingly impossible situations. Help us to believe and trust in You even more, for Your might and power is greater than our comprehension! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Patrick Chambron , with his wife Valerie, leads the work of Ellel Ministries in France.
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