Fish For People

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

5Once while Jesus^* was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, ²he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. ⁴When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ ⁵Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ ⁶When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. ⁷So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ ⁹For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; ¹⁰and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ ¹¹When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

On July 10, we will reflect on Luke 5:1-11 in worship.  I have the pleasure of sharing worship leadership with several of our youth who went to Massanetta Middle School Conference a few weeks ago.  They came back eager to share some of what they had learned with the congregation.  I am excited to explore the text this week, one of the call stories about the disciples, particularly Simon Peter.  As I reflect on how to "launch" this particular sermon and how to "put out into the deep water," I've been pondering my own call story a little bit this morning. 

Well, it is not exciting.  Jesus did not hop into my boat or make himself appear in my college dorm room beckoning me to follow him.  Instead, I think there was a gentle nudging all throughout my adolescence.  It simply took some time for me to recognize "my call" for what it was. 

I remember the joy I experienced in planning and participating in Youth Sundays and Christmas Eve Services at Bedford Presbyterian as a teenager.  I loved writing the liturgy and the skits.  I loved adding my voice in dialogue and prayer.  I was in awe of the leadership at conferences and thrilled when my own youth group had opportunities to serve in that way at presbytery or regional gatherings. 

It took a little while but I have now learned that when Bill and Aimee Buchanan tell you something, they are usually right.  So, I recall distinctly being in the sanctuary at BPC one day and having Aimee tell me I should go to seminary. We had been practicing for a Youth Sunday. She was sitting on one of the short pews up front, under a window.  The mid afternoon sun was shining down, brightening the mint green carpet, sparkling on the brass railings (which you NEVER touch). She grinned at me with her big Texas smile and said, "Loren, you've got something, you should go to seminary."   I laughed at her!  Like Sarah in her tent with the angels outside, I laughed!  I knew enough to know that Seminary meant learning ancient languages and presiding over Session meetings.  Thanks, but no thanks. 

The years flew by, as they do.  My friends and I graduated and migrated our separate ways.  I found myself in college preparing to declare my major and minor.  I was feeling a little bit defeated, not certain that my dreams of being a famous writer would come to fruition.  I was not dark enough or dreary enough to fit in the crowd with which I was studying. I also found that having a set schedule by which to write and be critiqued left me feeling stressed rather than creative.  So...what did I love?  What did I want to be when I grew up?  And there it was.  It all came flooding back to me.  I loved the church. I loved the people and the community that was bound together by a love of God and a desire to follow Christ.  I loved writing and worship.  Why couldn't I do both? Surely, a few summers of language school wouldn't kill me.  Would they? (Almost.) Surely the joys of ministry would outweigh the drudgery of session meetings.  (Amen.) 

When I told Michael, who I had been dating for probably 6 months at the time, that I was considering this path, he said something along the lines of, "Yeah, I figured."  As a PK I always tell people how blessed I am that he knew what he was getting into and married me anyway.    When I told my parents, they cried. Happy tears, I think. :)  When I told Bill and Aimee, my constant mentors and friends, they said, "we know"... as if I had reminded them of my love for French fries.  And that was it.  Once I know something, I just do it.  I knew I would go to Hollins and so I did.  I knew I would go to seminary, and so I did. 

I didn't expect to serve as a solo pastor of a small congregation.  But, that it is the true beauty of Jesus' call.  Our God sees the path set before us in ways we can never comprehend.  It was a blessing beyond measure to have been chosen for that particular congregation in Appomattox (who I love so dearly) at that time.  I didn't expect to be called to Covenant when it happened but here I am.

Every day the gifts God has given me are used to serve in a meaningful way.  And my call came from ordinary experiences.  Not unlike the fishermen who encountered Jesus in the gospel of Luke.  They didn't really want to take Jesus out on the boat and cast their nets into the deep waters again.  They'd been working all night, they were dead on their feet.  Sometimes it is hard to believe we might be meant for Christ's service.  Sometimes life just wears us down until we don't remember how best to be disciples.  We see in the nets cast by those disciples in the gospel of Luke that God's love and grace is abundant! Think on that today as you consider your call.  You have one.  We all do.