"Start Brailing!"

Luke 5.4-7 NIV

“When he had finished speaking, he [Jesus] said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ “Simon answered, ‘Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.”

If you’re a commercial fisherman, there’s nothing worse than a ‘water haul.’ It’s easy but not fun. You make the set and pull in the gear. Nothing. Just water. It’s disheartening. Peter “worked hard all night” and caught nothing. Maybe he wasn’t cut out to be a fisherman. He might as well hang up his gear, turn in his license, and sell the boat.

Have you ever feel unproductive like Peter? Jesus offered Peter a solution... go into “deep water.” Get in over your head. Go to the place where you must depend upon Him to succeed. Take a risk. Have some faith. There’s no fish in the shallow end of the lake. Go deep.

If you’re a commercial fisherman, there’s nothing better than ‘brailing.’ You make a set and pull in the gear. A full net! In fact, the net’s so full you’ll burst the seine, split the mast, or topple the boat if you depend on the winch and power block to hoist it aboard. Grab the brailing nets and start scooping the flopping, slimy critters by hand. It’s the hardest work you’ll ever do, but it’s so much fun! The jelly fish are stinging your face. The rain’s falling hard. The boat’s rocking in a choppy sea. Your back is aching. But you and crew are laughing and hollering… you’re making money!

I hope never to make another ‘water haul’ in my business or ministry or life. I’d rather “sink” in the “deep water” with Jesus by my side and a ‘brailing net’ in my hand. ____________________

I worked as a commercial fisherman on the "Bernice," a Whitney-Fidalgo purse seiner, during the 1972 salmon season in Southeast Alaska. We mad a few water hauls. We also brailed, but not often enough.