Gone Fishing

Luke 5: 4-5a
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; ..."

Today I was reading a devotion on this passage and it struck me that I had been reading the whole passage too quickly. I reread the above portion and it really hit home. How many days as parents, homeschoolers, or just as Christians do we sigh and say we have "toiled all night and caught nothing"? It seems like that's all I do sometimes - think about the lack of a "catch". Focus on the toil instead of the command. Focus on my self instead of my Savior. That's when I am looking at the wrong picture, like staring at a few pieces of a puzzle scattered on the floor. My Savior sees - no, He even painted! - the master picture that shows what the completed puzzle will reveal. And I am sighing and moaning and complaining about having to find two or three pieces to fit together for the Master. I sigh over my toils and lack of "results" when He does not ask me to catch the fish, only to go fishing!

Let me cheerfully do my little part while still on earth. Let me not forget the rest of the verses but say-

... nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
And remember how our LORD is faithful to carry out His Will.

"And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking."
May my faith in the Lord give me strength to keep on "fishing" and to keep trusting Him to multiply my feeble efforts, whether I ever see the fish or whether it is for another to haul up the load.