Not By Hard Work; But By Blessing

Lord Jesus offers rest to all who are weary and burdened by the trials in life. God delivered each day’s food for His people at their doorstep while they were sleeping.
God very well knows how to provide and care for us; we are His children! If God could provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for His people that summed to 3million people in the wilderness through a home-delivery system, feeding them with manna and quail; how much more does He care for us who’ve become His children through the new covenant and by Jesus’ blood?!

Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Here’s the principle: When man works, God rests; when man rests, God works!

Luke 5:1-10 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord! For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”

It’s after they return to the shore, or in other words, after work that the fishermen wash their nets. Jesus got into Simon’s empty boat and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Entering into Simon's boat implies Jesus entering into one's life. Jesus sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. Are you in a phase of life where all that you experience is emptiness: no furniture, empty fridge/kitchen, empty pocket/wallet, etc.?

Now it's into this state of emptiness in Simon’s life that Jesus entered. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And at Jesus’ word, they let down the net; and when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. It was a big catch! Fish here also implicates souls/ humans.

Here’s a word to ministers/soul-winners: Jesus says to launch out into the deep - to step out into the community to share Jesus and His grace; for God has prepared something for us.
When Jesus entered Simon’s boat and this miracle took place, it became a blessing to those around him. God blesses you in a manner that you get to impart your blessings to many others as well. They toiled all night and caught nothing; but after Jesus got into the boat and asked them to cast the net, He gave them a great catch like they’d never seen throughout their fishing career when they obeyed Him and acted upon His Word.

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Their boats (which implies life) were filled (with blessings) to the extent that they began to sink. We do not love, serve and worship a stingy God - there was always a surplus wherever he ministered, visited and performed a miracle. For instance, the wedding at Cana where the choicest wine, the miracle wine was served by Jesus

Once God blesses you, you'll never lack anything - God’s fullness will remain and be displayed in every area of your life. Just like the widow who had nothing but a small jar of olive oil, but when God caused it to increase; the oil kept flowing until every jar not just in her house but in the entire neighborhood was filled. When God opens a source for you, it will never stop and in some cases, it will continue to your next generations.

When Simon Peter saw the great catch, he did not think of the profit he'd get and plan of what he’d do with the amount, rather he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord! It was an overwhelming miracle and he was broken.

God will perform such overwhelming miracles in the lives of those who have childlike faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Within a day, Simon’s business graph shot up from minus but he wasn’t mesmerized by his boon, instead he fell at Jesus’s knees; knowing very well that the great catch was not the outcome of his hard work but a blessing from the Lord. Let me repeat: Not by hard work, but by blessing!

Proverbs 10:22 - The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.
Simon and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. God who is invisible was revealing His nature through Jesus who is visible to us. He could have given them a catch just for their day’s or week’s requirement, but He gave them an overwhelming blessing and through that incident Simon gave his heart to Jesus (not to his fishing business) and followed Him for the rest of his life.
God can adorn your life with His goodness and blessings, more than what you’ve seen till date. Life is easy with Christ; when His blessings come upon you, you need not toil for your livelihood.

Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” God changed their profession and made them fishers of men. And that's what happened on the day of Pentecost;  Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed the crowd. The people who heard him were cut to the heart and about 3000 repented, got baptized and were added to the believers that day. The incident at the Lake of Gennesaret was just a shadow of what happened since the day of Pentecost.

God will surely give us success in life and profession, but rather than settling with His blessings, we must be keen to lead people to Christ - the author of life, the bread of life, the living water!