Whom shall I send……………

“Master, Simon answered, we worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will let down the nets.  They let them down and caught such a large number of fish that the nets were about to break.

So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full of fish that the boats were about to sink.  When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said,
Go away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!”   Luke 5:5-8 GNT

In Peter’s mind it may have seemed improbable that they would catch anything after having toiled in vain all night, yet he was willing to obey the word of Jesus and make the effort to try.

“…… Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." (Luke 5:5)

This was a remarkable instance of “faith.”  Peter, as it appears, knew little then of Jesus.  He was not yet chosen to be an apostle.  Jesus came to these fishermen as a stranger, an unknown, and yet at His command Peter resolved to make another attempt, and go once more out for fish.

We read in Isaiah 55:8-9;

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

This passage is often used, and rightly so, to present in a general sense the vast superiority of God’s thoughts and ways compared to our thoughts and ways.

Therefore, we should not seek to rationalize a commandment of God, or subject it to our analysis to determine whether or not we will obey it.

At the same time this passage seems to be a continuing thought to the previous two verses;

“Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7)

The context seems to say that God wants His people to come to Him, and when we do He will have mercy on us and abundantly pardon us.

This story also reveals to us what Jesus is looking for when He chooses His disciples.

Jesus chose His followers through the QUALITY OF THEIR HEARTS.

He looked for a person with an OPEN HEART (vs.1-4).

He looked for a person with a TEACHABLE HEART (vs.4-5).

Peter was a person who obeyed Him despite his personal reasons.
“…Put out into the deep water and let down the nets
for a catch. Master, we’ve work hard all night and
haven’t caught anything”. (Vs. 4-5a)

Jesus is looking for a person who will obey Him even if it does not make sense, who will submit and follow Him faithfully.
“…but because you say so Lord…” (v.5b).

Jesus is looking for a person with a HUMBLE HEART (v.5,8a).

He is searching for a person who will commit to obey Him wholeheartedly without demanding their conditions to be granted.
“…I will let down the nets” (5d,11), (Luke 9:59-62).

Jesus longs for a person who has emptied himself to serve God absolutely and without reservation.
“…Peter fell at Jesus knees” (8a,11).

Jesus is looking for a person with a CARING HEART and aTRUSTING HEART (vs.6-11).

How does He see your heart?

“…… I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.””  Isa. 6:8 NKJV