Day – 97

Nearer, my God, to thee!

Read: Joshua 7, 8; Psalm 97; Luke 5:1-16

Scripture: Luke 5: 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

Observation: When we read Luke 5:8, we may wonder what Peter saw at that moment! Peter, a professional fisherman, must have been surprised when Jesus told him, "Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch." Fishermen prefer to fish early in the morning or at nighttime, for it is the best time to catch fish. It is unusual that Peter and his men caught nothing here, even after they tried all night. However, when he let down the nets in obedience to Jesus' words, he saw something fresh about Jesus. Obviously, it was not the first time he had been with Jesus. Until then, Peter may have known Jesus as a carpenter's son from Nazareth, or a teacher, or a miracle worker, and so on. When he saw the abundance of fish in their nets, he must have understood that Jesus was more than any other person in the world.

When people realize the nearness of God, they become aware of their real sinful state and unworthiness to stand close to him. When Isaiah saw God, he became conscious of his actual state in front of the Holy God (Is.6:5). Notice what Peter did: "He fell at Jesus' knees" and said, "Lord." In other words, as soon as he realized that all his skills and traits were nothing before Jesus, he surrendered to Jesus. See the difference in how Peter called Jesus - Master Jesus became the Lord Jesus. After that, Jesus made him a fisher of men. After this incident, he and his friends left their nets to be with Jesus permanently. They were no longer occasional visitors to Jesus. Afterward, they began to follow Jesus closely wherever he went.

Application: When I come near to Jesus, when I have a personal encounter with Jesus, I get a clear picture of who Jesus is and who I am! Seeing Jesus in the distance or meeting him once in a while would give me a respectable understanding of Jesus. Some people do not want to come near Jesus because they want to avoid exposure about their true state. Instead, they maintain a distance from Jesus and marvel at him. I should not do this. Until I allow him to come close to me or go near him, I will miss an excellent opportunity to know him better and personally and realize my true being. When I realize that Jesus is my Lord, my life is transformed totally. Then, I become a new person by living with him.

 Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for continually giving me many opportunities to come near you, though I am not worthy to come before you. Thank you for your call that changes me as your follower and a disciple. Lord, help me stay close to you today and know more about you. Amen.

✍️: Arputharaj Samuel
📕: Quiet Time Companion
🗓️  Day – 97