Reflections from Luke 5:1–11

There’s something about Peter that gets me every time. Maybe it’s because I understand him—his highs and lows, his passion and his stumbling. I get the messiness of his yes. I get the fire in his heart and the foot in his mouth. And when I read Luke 5, I don’t just see the calling of a disciple—I see the heart of how Jesus moves.

Jesus was preaching to a multitude that day. A crowd pressing in to hear the Word. And where did He go? Not to a mountaintop. Not to a synagogue.

He went to a boat.

More specifically, He went to Simon Peter’s boat.

It wasn’t a grand stage. It wasn’t a holy platform. It was a small, well-worn fishing boat owned by a tired man who had just spent the night catching nothing. And yet… Jesus steps into it.

He gets into Peter’s boat before Peter gets into ministry. Before the calling. Before the miraculous catch. Jesus uses Peter’s ordinary to show His extraordinary.

Why Were They Cleaning the Nets?

That question keeps sticking with me.

“They were washing their nets…”

— Luke 5:2

But just a few verses later Peter says, “We toiled all night and caught nothing.”

Why clean the nets if there was nothing to clean out?

Unless maybe there was something. Not fish, but seaweed. Scraps. Disappointment.

Or maybe it was just routine—faithfulness in the mundane, even when it doesn’t seem to matter.

They were preparing for tomorrow in the face of today’s discouragement. And that’s when Jesus showed up.

A Different Perspective

Jesus used Peter’s boat to preach—but He also used it to change the view.

Some in the crowd couldn’t see Him anymore. Maybe they were too far back, blocked by the press of people. But from Peter’s boat, Jesus could be seen and heard again. That boat offered a new perspective.

And Peter didn’t even realize it, but Jesus was using him—his place, his voice, his availability—to show people who He was in a different way.

You never know when your little “yes” will become someone else’s encounter with Jesus.

From Discouragement to Overflow

Then comes the moment:

“Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

— Luke 5:4

Peter hesitates. He’s tired. He’s frustrated. He’s already cleaned up for the day.

But—“Because You say so…”

That’s the turning point.

Not logic. Not energy. Not hope. Just obedience.

And suddenly, the nets are bursting. Not with just enough—but with overflow. So much that Peter has to wave for help. That second boat is needed because blessing like that can’t be held alone.

When Jesus moves, He not only fills our boat—He brings others into the miracle.

What This Means for You

Maybe you’re cleaning your nets in frustration right now.

Maybe your boat feels too small, too ordinary, too tired.

Maybe you’ve been out all night and caught nothing.

But Jesus sees you. He steps into your boat. And He says:

“I can use this. I can use you.”

He’s not asking you to be perfect. He’s just asking you to make room.

Because He doesn’t need a stage—He just needs your boat.