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Call by the Sea
145
darkness. That Voice speaking from the fisherman’s boat would be
heard speaking peace to human hearts to the close of time.
When He finished His message, Jesus told Peter to launch out
into the sea and let his net down for a catch. But Peter was discour-
aged. All night he had caught nothing. During the lonely hours,
he had thought of John the Baptist languishing in his dungeon, of
what might happen to Jesus and His followers, of the poor success
of their mission to Judea, and of the hatred of the priests and rabbis.
[107]
As he watched by the empty nets, the future seemed dark with dis-
couragement. “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing;
nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
After working all night without success, it seemed hopeless to
throw the net into the clear waters of the lake, but love for their
Master moved the disciples to obey. Simon and his brother let down
the net. When they tried to pull it in, there were so many fish that
they had to call James and John to help them. When they got the
catch on board, both boats were so heavily loaded that they were in
danger of sinking.
Unholiness Revealed
To Peter, this miracle was a greater revelation of divine power
than any other he had ever witnessed. In Jesus, he saw One who held
all nature under His control. Shame for his unbelief, gratitude for
Christ’s condescension, and above all, the sense of his uncleanness
in the presence of infinite purity overwhelmed him. Peter fell at the
Savior’s feet, exclaiming, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man,
O Lord!”
The same presence of divine holiness had caused the prophet
Daniel to fall like a dead man before the angel. See
Daniel 10:8
.
Isaiah exclaimed, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a
man of unclean lips, ... for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
hosts.”
Isaiah 6:5
. It has been like this with all to whom God has
granted a view of His greatness and majesty.
The Savior answered Peter, “Do not be afraid. From now on you
will catch men.” After Isaiah had seen God’s holiness and his own
unworthiness, he was entrusted with the divine message. After Peter