Obedience Always Brings Blessing
Life Principle 21: Obedience always brings blessing.
The Lord’s simple requests often serve as stepping-stones to life’s most wonderful blessings. Simon Peter illustrates what can happen when we say yes to God.
One day a large crowd pressed around Jesus while He preached (Luke 5:1-11). Wanting to use Peter’s boat as a floating platform to address the multitude, Jesus asked the future apostle to push the vessel a little way from shore—not in itself a remarkable request. But Peter’s compliance paved the way for a life-changing blessing. From his example, we learn how essential it is to obey God in even the smallest matters.
At the conclusion of His lesson, the Lord commanded Peter, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch” (5:4). Perhaps Peter was tempted to decline. He was a seasoned fisherman, after all. He’d worked the entire night for a catch but had returned empty-handed. Now this young teacher (a carpenter, not a fisherman) was asking him to fish again?
In faith, Peter responded: “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets” (5:5). It’s this reply that demonstrates the beginning of Peter’s lifetime faith in God. The soon-to-be disciple chose to obey the Lord and leave the consequences of his decision to Him.
As a result of his obedience, Jesus demonstrated His power and sovereignty. Peter and his partners may have started the day thinking their efforts had yielded nothing, but the day ended with their complete amazement as they pulled in not one but two overflowing boatloads of fish (5:7). Saying yes to the Lord’s request resulted in a miracle that transformed not only one fisherman’s life but the lives of the entire group.
Perhaps you’ve hesitated to obey God in your life because you fear the consequences of your decision. But the Lord commands you to fear Him above all else. The same sovereign, omnipotent God who keeps your heart beating and the planets orbiting is more than able to handle the results of your obedience. When you choose to obey Him, He will bless you. Obedience always leads to blessing. Therefore, make it your goal to obey the Lord and watch Him work in your life.
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Luke 11:28 NIV
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
Luke 5:1-11 NIV
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.”
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.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.