Choose to Trust

For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. – (Luke 5:9, NLT)

 

Though I have both read and heard the account of the calling of the first disciples in Luke 5:1-11, countless times, my heart received it anew this morning. Despite the passage covering only eleven verses, there is much depth in both what is said and that which is implied. First, Jesus had come to Simon, James and John on familiar ground. He borrowed a boat to teach the crowds, and then, after having earned credibility and authority with the men through His teaching, Jesus then chose to challenge their thinking. When Jesus asked Simon to take his boat out into deeper water to let down his nets so he could catch some fish, Simon had a choice – he could recognize the authority of Jesus that he had observed as He spoke to the crowd, and submit to His request in trust, or he could legitimately argue that there was nothing to catch, as they had already been out there all night and caught nothing. Something in Simon recognized the authority of Jesus and he chose to trust Him and do as He asked, despite the experience he had already had with a fruitless night of fishing. Simon’s decision to do what seemed less than sane, resulted in a haul of fish so great, that their nets began to break. The men were left awestruck at what Jesus had done, as they knew when and where to fish, and this was not the when nor the where, yet here they stood with more fish than they could handle! May we follow the example set by these early followers of Christ, as they recognized who Jesus was, chose to trust and do what He said (even when it did not make sense) and then stood in awe at the wonder of the way that He worked.

 

Early disciples,

Showed us how to be;

We first must choose trust,

Christ’s authority.

When what the Lord asks,

Makes no sense at all;

We still need choose trust,

With purpose, He calls.

Remember look back,

Though fearful and flawed;

See where He’s brought us,

Let us stand in awe.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You make Yourself known in tangible ways, and meet us each where we are at. Thank You that though the things You ask don’t always make sense, they are always for our ultimate good. Forgive us for our fearfulness or lack of faith in that which we cannot see. Teach us to trust You more so that we would recognize Who You are and the power You have in all things and at all times, despite what we see. Show us how to love those around us well, so that they may come to know the wonder of Your mighty love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to trust and obey whatever You ask, even when it does not make sense, for we know that You have our ultimate good in mind. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing our Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7

Assurance of Hope

Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen. – (Hebrews 11:1, VOICE)

Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. – (Hebrews 11:1, ERV)

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. – (Hebrews 11:1, NLT)

 

Faith fuels hope. It is the very gift that God places within us to be assured of that which we cannot see. The faith within us grants us the desire to dare to dream and the certainty to hold fast to the hope that is yet to come. God gives us hopes and dreams; faith from Him fuels them to fruition. May we have faith in He who gives us hope, and trust in that which we cannot see.

 

The fuel for hope,

comes from faith God gives;

our desire to dream,

and reason to live.

God gives us these things,

and asks us to trust;

in His faithfulness,

for His ways are just.

Let our hearts pursue,

that to which we’re called;

by faith, let us hope,

with grace, be enthralled.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we trust in You, You grant us the assurance of that which we hope for in You. Though we have not seen You, we know that You are, as You give us the faith to see with our hearts, what our eyes cannot yet consume. Forgive us for our lack of faith, as there is evidence of You and Your goodness all around us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would hold fast to the hope that is found in You alone. Show us how to love others in such a way, that they too would come to find a forever faith in You. Be glorified O God, as we recognize the reality of the hope we have in You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; …my hope is in You all day long. – Psalm 25:4-5