Because God Says So
By Rick Warren
“When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets’” (Luke 5:4-5 NIV).
As followers of Jesus Christ, he expects us to obey whatever he tells us to do — even if it appears foolish to other people, even if it doesn’t make sense financially, even if we don’t understand it and we’re scared to death.
Luke 5:4-5 says, “When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets’” (NIV).
Jesus not only stepped into the boat, he also started giving instructions on how to fish.
Notice Peter’s reaction. First, he didn’t argue with Jesus. He didn’t say, “Excuse me, Lord. You’re a carpenter. I’m a fisherman. And those fish aren’t biting! Who are you to tell me how to do my job?”
And, he didn’t hesitate. When Jesus said to launch the boat, he didn’t say, “Why don’t we think about this for a minute? Let’s form a committee and vote on it” or “We’re pretty dirty and tired here, Lord. How about we try again this afternoon?”
What did Peter do? He responded to Jesus with unquestioned obedience.
If you will become a because-you-say-so man or woman, God will bless your life. His instructions do not have to make sense to you. When God says so, you do it, and you trust him in faith.
I don’t know what God’s already told you to do, but I will tell you this: Disobedience always hurts you, because you miss the blessing. You can trust God because he always has your best interests in mind, even if you can’t see it right away.
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Talk It Over
- What has God told you to do that you haven’t done? Why have you delayed?
- What keeps you from trusting that God’s way is better than yours?
- How can you model absolute obedience to your kids in the way you respond to God’s commands?
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This devotional © 2016 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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