Because You Say So

It's been a tough week for me and my family.  I'll spare you the details, but suffice to say... I've been hard-pressed to think of a worse stretch of days, other than the week my mom died.  

I always try to be real on these daily devotions--to be honest and forthright about what I'm thinking.  They are as much for me some days as they are for any of you who might be reading them.  

And I have to say that God and I have been having some tough moments lately.  I was journaling yesterday and the words that formed on the pages of my journal were hard and angry.  I wondered where God was and found myself asking repeatedly, "Will you just show up?"  

Then this morning a passage of Scripture from Luke chapter 5 came into my mind, and I can't think it's a coincidence.  

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 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.”When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

The phrase that stuck in my head and kept repeating over and over again was the first part of Simon Peter's reply to Jesus: "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything..."  

That's how I have felt lately.  I may as well be Simon on that boat saying, "Jesus, I've been working... and working... and trying... and doing all the things... and it feels like I'm just continually pulling up an empty net."  

But it's the second part of Peter's reply that gives me some hope this morning.  After telling Jesus all about how fruitless he thinks his efforts have been, and how ridiculous it seems to keep trying, Peter says this:  "But because you say so, I will let down the nets."  

"Because you say so..."  

In the end, all of this has to come down to simply being obedient and trusting.  It comes down to holding on to the words of Jesus and believing that because he says so... I can keep trying, keep moving, keep believing...  

Because Jesus says so, I can have hope that at my empty net will eventually be filled.  

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.