He Doth Provide Means

When Jesus came to the Sea of Galilee to call Peter and others to come with Him, he said to His future chief apostle: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” The account continues, “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.” They caught so many fish that they filled two boats and those were beginning to sink. It was right after this that Peter, James, and John “forsook all, and followed him” so that they could “catch men” as the Savior invited them (Luke 5:5-11). On a recent podcast Dr. Jan Martin gave a very interesting insight regarding this story that I had never considered before: “If Simon has a wife and kids and this is their only means of livelihood, how do you take the main provider out of the house and not have him providing fish anymore? So this moment allows them financially to leave. This is a windfall, a financial windfall. So how does the Lord help us fulfill callings that he asked us to do? He does help us, and we got to look at that enabling. Here's the enabling power of the atonement into Peter's life and James and John's life because they're these major breadwinners. How are you going to have those families survive without the money from the fishing? Look at this, there's a preparation and help financially to do what they need to do, so the way's been provided.” Selling these fish would have enabled these new followers of the Savior to provide at least for some extended period for their families so they could focus on the spiritual work that Jesus had for them. 

                Considering the story in that way, I think it gives evidence of what Nephi taught: “And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them” (1 Nephi 17:3). Nephi was testifying of how the Lord provided means for them to survive as they traveled across a desert for eight years. Lehi and his family had given up their means of providing for themselves in Jerusalem and trusted in the Lord to give them the ability to survive and feed their families in the wilderness. In the same manner, Peter and these other apostles “forsook” their means of livelihood so that they could be with Jesus, and He provided means for them to do so and still care for their families. Perhaps part of Peter’s motivation in returning to fishing after Christ’s death was again to provide for his family. They toiled all night once more and brought in nothing. When the Resurrected Lord came to the shore of the lake, He called to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” They did this and once more “they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes” (John 21:6). Jesus was again giving them again miraculous means so they could truly set aside their temporal labors and focus on the work He had prepared them for. Perhaps the message for us then is that He will give us the ability to accomplish what He requires of us, and if we will have faith to follow Him He will provide for us in miraculous ways. This was essentially the message He had given His followers in the Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:31-33). Of course we must seek to provide for our families and meet our temporal needs, but if He calls us to do work that we feel we don’t have time for, we can trust that putting the kingdom of God first we will never be lacking. As He did for Peter, He will provide for us the figurative fish so that we can too lay aside our nets and follow Him.