INTO THE DEEP 🌊

"Put out into the deep water..."

This command from Jesus has gripped me lately. You can read the full story in Luke 5:1-11.

As I've been meditating on this passage, I see a stark contrast between the crowds on the shore, straining to listen to Jesus, and the proximity of Peter to Jesus, sitting in his own boat beside the Lord.

After Jesus finishes preaching to the crowds, he gives Peter a personal word: "Put out into the deep water and lower your net for a catch."

After preaching about the kingdom of God, Jesus is going to give this common fisherman an opportunity to do the word (not merely listen) and experience the kingdom of heaven in action.

After hearing the command, Peter pauses ... and informs Jesus that he already pulled an all-nighter and caught nothing. His carnal mind, logic, and past experiences were kicking in, and Peter could have missed it.

This is where many of us miss it. We listen to all the sermons. We know all the right answers. Yet we go about our business, content to toil and stay in our comfort zones — yielding meager results.

That's all Peter knew ... until Jesus took up residence in his vessel. Then, suddenly, Peter had the proximity, the intimacy with Jesus to hear his voice and heed it: "But at your word I will lower the nets."

At your word, Lord, I will...

What happens next is nothing short of supernatural. God's word and Peter's obedience yielded a miraculous and uncontainable catch.

Check out Peter's response:

What did Peter see, exactly? All the fish? No.

Peter saw the King of Glory! This man caught one glimpse of His majesty, and he was UNDONE.

Selah

During such an encounter, the only possible reaction is to hit the floor and declare, Woe is me! (See Isaiah 6:5.)

These are the types of encounters that change your mind (repentance) and the course of your entire life. For these fishermen, they were willing to leave everything to follow the King.

Are you feeling this stirring, this calling, this command, into the uncharted waters? Deep is calling to deep...

Luke 5 invitations are going out right now. This is the calling of disciples to become eyewitnesses of the Son, who is the very radiance of God's glory (Hebrews 1:3). It's the opportunity to truly enter the kingdom of heaven, to experience the on earth as it is in heaven reality.

There are galaxies and oceans of God — his beauty, his identity, his personality — waiting to be explored. There are deeper places in prayer. There's a call for different routines, unfamiliar assignments, and new alignments. There's another level of consecration and wild abandonment to God's purposes in our generation.

I hear the King calling, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" (Isaiah 6:8).

Will you give Jesus your fresh yes?

"Here am I. Send me!"

Don't stay on the shore. Let the Spirit of Jesus fully possess your vessel and LAUNCH INTO THE DEEP.

Speaking of unfamiliar assignments and fresh yeses...

God is writing a new chapter for Worthy Words Co.

I'm launching a pop-up bookstore in Omaha! We will carry faith-based books (fiction and nonfiction) and high-quality gifts and goods. God said that it's a traveling tabernacle of testimony (Acts 7:44).

I've shared some of the backstory on social media and my website, but I wanted to announce the launch date first to those on my email list. (Thanks for being here!)

Save the date for Saturday, April 26. Worthy Words Co. will be a vendor at Modern Market in Waterloo. You're invited!

I'd love to see you there! I'm excited and in awe of God.

In the deep end for sure,

Chelsea