THE PROFESSIONAL (Luke 5: 3-6, John 21: 3-6)

Simon was a fisherman.

He learned the trade from an early age.

He had decades of experience as a fisherman.

He lived off the money he made from fishing.

He got married from the proceeds of fishing.

He built his house off the proceeds of fishing.

He paid his children’s school fees off the proceeds of fishing.

He met all his financial responsibilities off the proceeds of fishing.

He was a PROFESSIONAL in fishing.

He could give lectures on fishing.

He could write books on fishing.

He understood the pattern of fishes:

What time of day is best to catch what type.

What type of bait or net to use to catch which type.

How they migrate.

How they spawn.

How long the different species lives.

The difference between salt water and fresh water fishes…

He was a Fishing Guru in his own right.

But…

One night he went out to fish as he has done thousands of times before.

He got to the exact point he always fished as he had done thousands of times before.

He threw the net into the water as he had done thousands of times before.

He used all the tricks and methods he knew to use as he has done thousands of times before…

But he caught NOTHING.

He went through the same process all night.

He caught NOTHING!

8 hours in the sea, nothing to show for it!

For the first time in his fishing business, he would go home without ONE fish!

He was worried.

What would he tell his wife?

How long will this bad luck last, he thought.

The children’s school fees are due next week!

It was already 6am.

He rowed back to shore…

Then he saw HIM.

“Simon, good morning! Please, let me make use of your boat for a minute…”

Simon obliged Him.

And he heard the strangest things he had ever heard in his life!

When He was done talking, He told him: let’s row out a bit, Simon; and you let down your nets for a catch!”

Seriously? Who does this Guy think He is?

I am a PROFESSIONAL!

I KNOW how to fish like I know my name!

I AM A FISHING GURU!

Does this Guy think fishing is by trial and error?

Anyhow, let me do as he says: no harm in trying…

Simon did.

And he got the biggest haul of fish in his life!

From that day, Simon became Peter.

And he became a Fisher of Men.

But…

Three years later

He went back to fishing.

He used the same boat he used 3 years ago.

He used the same net he used 3 years ago.

He used the same handbook he used 3 years ago.

He caught NOTHING.

Just like 3 years ago.

He went through the same process all night.

He caught NOTHING!

8 hours in the sea, nothing to show for it!

Just like 3 years ago.

He rowed back to shore.

Just like 3 years ago…

And he saw Him.

Just like 3 years ago.

And He said, “Cast your net at the right side of your boat.”

Peter obeyed, as he did 3 years ago.

And got another haul of fish as he did 3 years ago…

Are you a PROFESSIONAL in your field?

Do you think you are an AUTHORITY in that area  like Peter?

Do you think you are a guru: you KNOW it all?

You are still LIMITED to your natural abilities.

You are still LIMITED to your ordinary knowledge.

You need Him to make your natural become SUPERNATURAL.

With Him, your ordinary becomes EXTRAORDINARY.

HE KNOWS BETTER THAN YOU, NO MATTER WHAT YOU KNOW.

Listen to Him.

Let Him teach you.

And you will better and more effective in whatever you do.

“He who thinks he knows anything know nothing as he ought to know” (1^st Corinthians 8:2).

There’s a level of KNOWLEDGE you can only find in Him.

Shalom,

Haruna Daniels.