Personal call

Luke 5 : 1 - 11

Then Jesus said to Simon...."Don't be afraid, from now on you will.........

I wonder if we can remember our responses when we first heard Jesus' call. When I rededicated my life, I felt, like Peter, truly unworthy of such a Lord and Savior, someone I had carelessly ignored over the years. In fact, my sense of unworthiness nearly became a hindrance because it prevented me from fully receiving the mercy and grace of our Lord. But his Word, as always was a gentle one: "Do not be afraid......"

This 'call' story can evoke many feelings and memories if we allow it to speak to us in our hearts and not only in our heads. It seems a straightforward enough 'call' of the first disciples and it is. I wonder though, how we would write our personal 'call' story. How did we come to realize that Jesus is someone other than a 'great teacher', as many do, those who would not call him 'Lord'? Peter had heard Jesus teach in the synagogue before and seen his healing and deliverance but at this precise moment something quickened within him : the miracle of the catch of fish brought him to a new level of 'conversion'. Peter was deeply convinced of his own helplessness and unworthiness before Jesus - even falling before him and calling him 'Lord'.

Each of us is invited to meet Jesus personally along the spiritual journey that we have embarked on. We cannot ride on other people's faith. We may start off that way, feeling our way around and observing Jesus as it were, from afar. But at some point we are 'called' to throw in our lot with him. At some point we know deep in our hearts that Jesus is 'Lord'. Someone we would gladly bow our knees before. Perhaps this is frightening to some......perhaps like many we believe that the Lord will ask of us things we do not like or want to do.

But Jesus says then as he does now...."Do not be afraid...." Many people in the Bible heard those words when they were asked to embark into uncharted waters. I think of Mary the mother of Jesus at the annunciation. The first disciples mentioned here "left everything and followed him". It seems so 'final' for them and they appear so courageous to have done so. We must remember however, that this was just the start of their journey with Jesus. They made a stand at that point of time.........and so do we at some point in our lives..........but the living out of it was to take them, as it will take us.......many years, amid many joyful and painful experiences of what it truly means to follow Jesus. But at all times it is good to remember that our Lord tells us...."Do not be afraid...." That will sustain us through times of doubt, through times when we walk with the Lord towards 'Jerusalem'.