"But Jesus is always ready before we are."

A thought by Shaun Nepstad from his book, Don't Quit in the Dip (p. 48). Worthy. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)

Have you found that to be true? Read on.

Shaun says, "Jesus saw them wrapping up their night of work and still came over to ask if He could get into their boat and finish teaching the crowd from it. They agreed, but can you picture the look that must have been on Peter’s face? He was exhausted, his blistered hands were washing his nets, and then this guy walked over and asked them to go back out. It’s like if you’ve ever worked at a restaurant and you close and lock up at 9:00 p.m. so you can clean up and go home. And then someone comes at 9:05 p.m. asking if you’re still open. Jesus got in the boat before Peter climbed back in. He was still washing his nets, wanting nothing but to leave and clock out from his shift. But Jesus is always ready before we are. You need to know that He’s just waiting for us to get into position."

Shaun goes on, "In a house with five women, I’m usually the first to be ready, and then I sit there waiting. Waiting. Waiting for them to get ready. Jesus and I have a lot in common. Ha! Jesus said, 'I’m going to get in your boat and preach a sermon.' And Peter thought, How long is the sermon? He didn’t want to be there. He didn’t want to listen to some stranger. He wanted to go home. He’d had it. He felt like he was all washed up.

"But for some reason Peter agreed, and for his effort he got a front-row seat to hear the greatest teacher the world has ever known. Peter was in awe. Watch this: Peter was no longer on the edge. Jesus sees you on the edge. He sees you on the edge of disappointment and discouragement. He sees you right where you are. He sees you in the dip. Some of you have gotten comfortable on the edge. You’re not too far away. But you’re not too close either. You’re on the fringe. And Jesus says, 'I don’t want you there. I want you by Me.'

"So Jesus taught the crowd from the boat, but His greatest lesson of the day came next. 'When he had finished speaking, he 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"' (Luke 5:4–5).

"'Because You say so.'" That’s a powerful clue about how to get out of the dip. In spite of the frustration, Simon Peter obeyed Jesus even though he was saying, 'We have worked hard all night and we haven’t caught anything. Zero. Zilch. Nada.'"

Shaun later says, "It’s interesting that Jesus took Peter back to the same spot at which they had toiled all night and blessed them with the biggest catch they’d ever seen. You see, all of this is about obedience to the One who blesses the spot. Put yourself in the right place of obedience and God will open up the right door of opportunity."

He then says, "Jesus sees you on the edge. He sees your labor and your emptiness. If you want more, start doing what Jesus says. Remember, Peter was washing his nets. He was done. He was complaining, stating the facts that they had fished all night and hadn’t caught anything. We do the same thing. We list the facts of everything we’ve tried, as if to say, 'If there were more out there in life, I would’ve found it by now.' Peter adds, 'But because You said so…' See, there’s the difference. There’s blessing, protection, and provision because God’s Word guides us to more."

And that is so true, isn't it?

Yes, yes!