Theme: A Week with Peter

‘I Stand Amazed’

When you are a young teenager and are proud of your athletic ability, you may not be easily impressed by someone else’s ability.  At least, you may be reluctant to admit it.  When I was 13  or 14 and playing Pony League baseball, I was pretty proud of my ability.  One day at practice, our coach was hitting infield practice for us.  He hit a grounder to me at shortstop and I was to throw home to our catcher.  I fired the ball as hard as I could.  It was a wild throw.  The coach simply reached out with his bare hand and snagged my wild throw.  Without even acknowledging my wildness or showing any effects of catching my wild throw, he hit another grounder to another infielder.  I was amazed!!  I was amazed at his catch.  I was amazed that he did not shake his hand from the pain or make any verbal response to the pain.  AND I WAS IMPRESSED!!!

One day, Jesus made an amazing impression on Peter.  SUCH AN IMPRESSION THAT PETER WAS WILLING TO FOLLOW HIM FOR THE REST OF HIS DAYS!  It is recorded in Luke 5:1-11.

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 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.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Peter was so impressed by Jesus that he was willing to leave everything and follow Him.  Peter was amazed that Jesus could catch fish in such a manner.  I conclude that Peter realized that Jesus was not a ‘mere man’.  And so began a life devoted to Jesus.

May each of us, as we study the life of Jesus be filled with awe, like Peter.

Prayer:  God, help me to ‘stand amazed in the presence of the Nazarene’.  Help me to ‘wonder at His love for me, a sinner condemned and unclean’.

Terry Brown

Abilene, Texas