Put Out Into the Deep

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Once 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.  Luke 5:1-11


Put Out Into the Deep


Walking to the laundromat door
ground litter with butts and needles
the refuse of the world aching
at the door to be washed clean again.

The signs of failure surround us
the invade our sleep and worry us
we are broken and sinful people
who have put the nets away empty.

To our sorrow and our despair
the love of God comes into our boats
we push out deep one more time
with no expectation, no hope for fish.

The Creator in our midst reaches deep down
forgiveness and possibilities rise to the surface
the once clouded depths are roiling with life
and we are shocked and awed again by love.