In last Sunday’s gospel reading, Luke 5:1-11, after being out on the water all day to no avail without catching anything. At the very moment when Peter and James and John are probably feeling like they are failures at fishing. When they are filled with thoughts of going hungry without anything to eat or any catch to earn a living. When they are feeling they are not enough, inept, incapable, Jesus sees them, teaches them, loves them, and calls them to follow.
Jesus sees them exactly as they are, in their brokeness, as they experience loss and lack, and loves and calls them anyway. Jesus doesn’t look for the greatest – the kings and emperors – or even the best fishermen when calling his first disciples, he sees and calls these three. And in seeing, loving, and calling them, they experience the abundance of God’s loving presence. They are made enough by the love of God in Christ.
My friends, Jesus sees, loves, and calls you, too.
When you feel like no one sees who you really are. At the moments when you tell yourself that you aren’t enough, that you are incapable and unworthy, Jesus sees you as you are, Jesus loves you, and calls you to participate in the ongoing reconciliation of all things – the bringing about of the kingdom of God right now on earth as it is in heaven.
Jesus sees what you have, your confidence and your lack of confidence, your sin and brokenness, and the image of God you bear, loves you, and calls you to cast your net into deeper water – to use what you have (however much or little it may seem, your voice, your knowledge, your money, your possessions, your work, your influence) to reach deeper into the world and join in God’s work. And you will find your net filled and bursting.
Blessings on your week,
Pastor Drew