By Andrew Williams
“One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.” – Luke 5:1-3 (NLT)
Good morning fellow disciples
This passage paints a powerful picture of how Jesus can take something ordinary and use it for His extraordinary purposes. Simon Peter, a fisherman who had just finished a long and unsuccessful night of work, was washing his nets when Jesus approached him. Jesus noticed Simon’s empty boat, stepped into it, and asked him to push it out into the water so He could teach the crowd.
Simon could have refused. He could have focused on his exhaustion or the fact that the boat was his personal property. But instead, Simon allowed Jesus to use his boat—a key resource in his livelihood—as a platform to share the Word of God with the crowd. This act of willingness and obedience, though seemingly small, set the stage for incredible blessings to follow.
Simon’s boat reminds us that whatever we have—our time, our resources, our skills—can become a vessel for God’s glory when we surrender it to Him. Jesus doesn’t need perfect conditions or grand gestures; He simply asks for what we already have, offered with a willing heart.
Simon’s willingness to let Jesus use his boat empowers us to consider how we, too, can offer what we have for God’s purposes. You may feel like your resources are small or insignificant, but in Jesus’ hands, even the ordinary can accomplish extraordinary things. Your home, your car, your talents, your time—whatever you have—can become a tool in God’s Kingdom when you allow Him to use it.
Simon teaches us the importance of redirecting our focus from what we lack to what we can give. He didn’t let his fatigue, or the emptiness of his nets stop him from obeying Jesus’ request. Instead, he trusted that Jesus could use what he had for something greater. In the same way, Jesus invites you to trust Him and surrender your resources for His purposes, believing that He can multiply your offering to reach others with His love and truth.
Take a moment today to reflect on what resources you have that Jesus might be asking you to offer for His work. Is it your time, your skills, your finances, your home, or even your willingness to serve? Pray and ask Jesus to redirect your focus from what you think you’re lacking to how He can use what you already have. Then, take practical action: make yourself available to serve at church, open your home for fellowship, or use your talents to encourage someone. Trust that Jesus can use your offering, no matter how small it may seem, to bless others and bring glory to His name.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me through Simon Peter’s example that You can use even the simplest things in my life for Your purposes. I confess that sometimes I focus too much on what I don’t have or what I think is inadequate. Today, I offer what I have to You—my time, my resources, and my willingness. Redirect my focus from my own limitations to Your power to multiply my offering for Your glory. Use what I have, Lord, to reach others and bring them closer to You. I trust You to do great things through my obedience. In Your name, I pray, Amen.
Great lesson on obedience, trust and full surrender