The last line of the gospel this morning, left me wondering if the same call were to be given out today, how many would follow! Leave alone, just drop everything, no goodbyes or settling affairs or packing and what not... just follow.
The team fishing would have surely heard of Jesus. They wouldn't have followed his instructions if he were not seen as someone whom they considered above normal. Or else which fisherman would take instructions about fishing from a carpenter? But this team did and when they realise for themselves, rather than the hearsay they relied on so far, that he was someone really special, they acknowledge him to be someone who is to be in better company than themselves. Peter asks him to leave because they are not worthy to be in his presence. Interestingly Jesus invites them to join him! And when he invites, some of them follow him, right then and there!
I wonder if we in our contemporary world have space for such a feeling of wonder, of being overwhelmed, of being called and promptly accepting. We'd sit, reflect, consult, calculate, discuss, reason out, weigh the pros and cons, try to strike a bargain, ask a hundred and one questions... But Peter and company chose to follow him right away; all the above followed! Of course, they did not at once leave their families and homes but they certainly did accept Jesus as master and were willing to do anything he asks of them, right after their first encounter with him.
The team fishing would have surely heard of Jesus. They wouldn't have followed his instructions if he were not seen as someone whom they considered above normal. Or else which fisherman would take instructions about fishing from a carpenter? But this team did and when they realise for themselves, rather than the hearsay they relied on so far, that he was someone really special, they acknowledge him to be someone who is to be in better company than themselves. Peter asks him to leave because they are not worthy to be in his presence. Interestingly Jesus invites them to join him! And when he invites, some of them follow him, right then and there!
I wonder if we in our contemporary world have space for such a feeling of wonder, of being overwhelmed, of being called and promptly accepting. We'd sit, reflect, consult, calculate, discuss, reason out, weigh the pros and cons, try to strike a bargain, ask a hundred and one questions... But Peter and company chose to follow him right away; all the above followed! Of course, they did not at once leave their families and homes but they certainly did accept Jesus as master and were willing to do anything he asks of them, right after their first encounter with him.
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