Complete Obedience

"Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships so they began to sink. " Luke 5:4-7

That's a lot of fish. Jesus had filled 2 boats so full of fish that they began to sink - and these were fishing boats! They were made to hold a lot of fish!

Yet, I wonder what God could have done, had Peter been completely obedient.

Did you catch that in verse 4 Jesus tells Peter to launch out into the deep and let down his nets (that's plural). Yet in verse 5, when Peter answers he says, reluctantly that he will let down the net (singular). Also in verse 6 it says "their net brake."

In spite of Peter only somewhat obeying God, He still used the opportunity to show Peter and these fishermen His power. He still filled 2 fishing boats full of fish. Can you even imagine how many fish there would have been had Peter fully obeyed and let down more nets?

It causes me to wonder though, how much effect we have on possibly hindering the work of God when we are not completely obedient. We know that God's will will be done in spite of us and our short-comings but being a hinderance to God is not something to be desired. Did Peter's half-hearted obedience hinder what God had planned to do out on the water that day? When I obey God, am I obeying him fully and anticipating seeing Him work? Or am I serving Him out of duty, maybe because it might have become habit?

"Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing". Peter knew midday was not the best time to be fishing. He was tired from being out to sea all night. I'm sure he just wanted to get the nets cleaned, get something to eat and get some rest as they would probably head out again the next night. It didn't make sense to him to go out in broad daylight and go fishing. "Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net". Even though his didn't understand and probably disagreed, he humored the Lord and let down a net and as a result, Jesus Christ shewed Himself mighty.

Peter understood his lack of complete obedience because in verse 8 the Bible tells us, "When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord." Peter would not have reacted this way had he not committed the sin of incomplete obedience.

If He was able to do this with half-hearted obedience, imagine what He can do when we offer him our complete obedience.