Toiling Until Night Comes
Charles Spurgeon
"Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."
Luke 5:4
We
learn from this narrative, the necessity of human agency. The draught
of fishes was miraculous, yet neither the fisherman nor his boat, nor
his fishing tackle were ignored; but all were used to take the fishes.
So in the saving of souls, God worketh by means; and while the present
economy of grace shall stand, God will be pleased by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe. When God worketh without
instruments, doubtless he is glorified; but he hath himself selected the
plan of instrumentality as being that by which he is most magnified in
the earth.
Means of themselves are utterly unavailing. "Master, we have
toiled all the night and have taken nothing." What was the reason of
this? Were they not fishermen plying their special calling? Verily, they
were no raw hands; they understood the work. Had they gone about the
toil unskilfully? No. Had they lacked industry? No, they had toiled. Had
they lacked perseverance? No, they had toiled all the night. Was there a
deficiency of fish in the sea? Certainly not, for as soon as the Master
came, they swam to the net in shoals. What, then, is the reason? Is it
because there is no power in the means of themselves apart from the
presence of Jesus? "Without him we can do nothing." But with Christ we
can do all things. Christ's presence confers success.
Jesus sat in
Peter's boat, and his will, by a mysterious influence, drew the fish to
the net. When Jesus is lifted up in his Church, his presence is the
Church's power--the shout of a king is in the midst of her. "I, if I be
lifted up, will draw all men unto me." Let us go out this morning on our
work of soul fishing, looking up in faith, and around us in solemn
anxiety. Let us toil till night comes, and we shall not labour in vain,
for he who bids us let down the net, will fill it with fishes.
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