Let Down Your Nets

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:1-11

Let Down Your Nets

We have toiled all night
coming up empty handed
no food for our tables
a bad day on the water
fear and failure all too common.


Do not be afraid you say
put out into the deep
and let down your nets
for I will provide the catch.


Exhausted and bitter with cold
we hear the strangers words
wishing we could go home
and climb into a familiar bed
and dream our familiar dreams.


Do not be afraid you say
put out into the deep
and let down your nets
for I will provide the catch.


We go back out facing the tide
deep into the dark grey water
silence swallowing up our shame
we drop anchor and the nets.


Do not be afraid you say
put out into the deep
and let down your nets
for I will provide the catch.


Groaning and leaning despite ourselves
we see the miracle of fish
swimming in our nets
abundance beyond capacity and belief.


Do not be afraid you say
put out into the deep
and let down your nets
for I will provide the catch.

We knew ourselves to be failures
so many attempts so little progress
God calls the sinners, the failures
to bring in nets full of others in need.


Do not be afraid you say
put out into the deep
and let down your nets
for I will provide the catch.

We will follow the stranger now our friend
we will listen in the darkest of nights
we will pray for more despite scarcity
and learn to be fishers of men.


Do not be afraid you say
put out into the deep
and let down your nets
for I will provide the catch.