Today’s readings.. (Leviticus 22), (Psalm 125,126,127), (Luke 5)                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Who told Jesus to “Depart from me!” after he had witnessed a remarkable miracle?  It was Peter!  He had said, although he was sceptical, he would do what Jesus had suggested!

     Now in our reading in Luke Ch. 5 today we see how Jesus used Peter’s boat as a preaching platform and “when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” [Luke 5 v.4]  

Now Peter earned his living by fishing, he really knew when and where the fish were most likely to be found. He answers, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” [v.5].   He “knew” there were no fish around so with what frame of mind would he then add, “But at your word, I will let down the nets.”

The nets become so full of fish that they are breaking and they need the help of others from another boat!  The fish “filled both boats so that they began to sink” [v.7] Peter is overwhelmed, he gasps out, “Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord” [v.8]  Because of his intimate knowledge of fishing this miracle shocks him far more than the healing of his mother-in-law’s fever and other sick people we read of yesterday. 

    Peter realises Jesus has the power to do anything! This causes him to be overwhelmed by a sense of his own unworthiness. Do we ever get confronted by our own sense of unworthiness?  What about our feelings when the miracle of the return of Jesus starts to unfold before our eyes?  Carefully meditate on the emotion you will feel then!.

Do we really believe Jesus is with believers in spirit here and now?  The disciple John wrote, in his old age, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God abides in him, and he in God…. God is love and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  By this love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment. ”  [1 John 4 v.15-17]  Surely all who believe the spirit of Christ is all around them and have responded to his call “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me” [John 7 v.37] – and “thirst” to read God’s word everyday will have confidence when it is evident Jesus is returning.