no more toiling ! [Lk.5:5]

INTRODUCTION:

Toiling means working extremely hard, continuously, or laboriously, with no appreciable result. What makes toiling so much of hard labor is NOT only the time, resources, and energy put into it, rather, the painful end result of having nothing to show for it. Toiling does not make its victim less professional or bereft of ideas and the methodologies required to get the job done excellently well, to a state-of-the -art standard, and in record time; it’s rather a situation at a point in time, when all odds seem to be against the person in discussion. On the flip side of toiling in this context is a question that, what if Simon actually broke through at the sea that night, but was unable, on the long run, to account for the use of the proceeds of his labour. Think of the power waiting at the end of breakthrough to waste labors and harvest, “so it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them…and destroy the produce of the earth…and leave no sustenance for Israel.” (Jud.6: 3-4).

That was Peter’s experience in this scenario.

AN UNUSUAL NIGHT:

For Peter, it was a very unusual and unexpected night that things went awry, regardless of his efforts, skills, and professionalism. Undoubtedly, he was a notable fisherman who had all it took to catch as many fishes as he desired. He probably ranked as one of the most skillful fishermen of his days, yet he was helpless on this very night. This particular night will remain indelible in his mind, probably as the most unpleasant night his skills divorced him. He was frustrated, humiliated, and toiled, yet, he had nothing to show for his wasted efforts; but for the timely intervention of Jesus Christ.

AFTERMATH OF HIS FAILED TOILING:

The consequences of his efforts in futility will have obvious direct bearings not only on him, but also on his entire household, simply because there would be no means to meet all financial obligations. Bills backed up will suffer major default. In addition, he might not find it funny with creditors who will not hesitate to drag him, and possibly use his children as collateral (like the experience of the widow of the sons of the prophets in) 2 kings 4:1, “…and the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” What some men of God pass through at times is better imagined than said…

PETER’S RESPONSE TO THE WORD

While the widow of the prophet ran to the lead prophet- Elisha, for solution, Jesus Christ, in the time of grace, was readily on hand to instruct Peter on what to do to overcome his failure, even before Peter sought His help. He said, “launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Lk.5:4). This is true to the scriptures saying, “God is a very present help in trouble” (Ps.46:1). Yes, He’s always available ONLY if we care to see Him, listen to Him when He instructs, and act on such instruction(s). In the sense that some divine instructions to overcome our challenges, like the one in discussion, are completely at variance with the issues at hand, yet they stand the test of time and true to His sayings. Hence, we need to get to a level in our trust of Him that our faith has to be at the ceiling level to really encounter Him, “we walk by faith and not by sight.” (2 Cor.5:7). Essentially, on this particular night, the trust Simon had in Him, and exercised, was his saving grace. Simon did not blink an eye, either. He did not attempt to fact-check the Master. He simply did the needful. And it paid off for him!

WHY THE FAILURE THIS PARTICULAR NIGHT?

For a man that is hard-working and skillful as Peter, what could possibly be the reason(s) for the grave failure on this particular night? With Peter, the professional fisherman in his right form, on duty, coupled with his fishing skills in top form, and yet recording this much colossal loss, then something beyond the ordinary was at work! The spiritual atmosphere was apparently tainted with forces beyond his control. Without the timely intervention of Jesus Christ, the spiritual embargo on his fishing nets would remain under a perpetual spell of failure and frustration. Thanks to Jesus Christ who liberated him from the condition that would have sent Simon back to the village. Friends, what is your fishing net?

HOW IT RELATES TO US:

In all our endeavors in life, we as humans, and believers for that matter, strive to engage ourselves in a lifetime professions, disciplines, vocations, and what have you. In achieving this, at one time or the other, we would have acquired some mandatory skills, expertise, knowledge, trainings that will not only place us abreast of our chosen disciplines, but also would primarily serve as our meal tickets, for as long as possible. With these acquired skills, certifications, trainings, living a life that is worth the while is ‘assumed’ to be a perpetual guarantee . However, along the line, it does not always turn out like that, as life happens. In other words, things might not work out smoothly as we envisaged. Expectations are unmet. Disappointments dodging our footsteps (I know the christianity in us will say “I reject it in Jesus’ name”), but it does happen, anyway. Years of burning the midnight oil turning out a waste, humongous financial investments in training, seminars, business, education, going down the drain. In effect, someone becomes a shadow of his esteemed vision and ambition! What an irony of life! That was exactly Simon’s experience on this fateful night. While his toiling was for a short time-all night though, think of the toiling that has lasted several decades, yet with no solution in sight.

Friends, the question is, what is your fishing net? How has it been preserved for optimal use, or how has it been impacted with the spirit of ‘toiling.’? Whatever makes you relevant, to be sought-after, competitive, impactful to your world, brings you to limelight, and ultimately puts meal on your table ‘legitimately’, is your ‘fishing net’. Secure it ‘prayerfully ‘ ! Think of any, or a mix of these below, as your fishing net:

• Skills, Talent, and Gifting
• Tools, Machines, Machineries, and Automobiles
• Licenses and Certificates
• Businesses
• Ministry, and several other means of ‘legitimate’ sustenance.

Ours is a world full of unexplainable mysteries . Swapped and wasted destinies, rejected excellence, and abandoned brilliancy, frustrated ambitions, stunted and retarded growth, wasted efforts and labors, abound all over the place. As a High School student preparing for my final examination, way back in 1984, I was impacted by a Poetry text, (a genre of Literature), a co-edited publication, by an English scholar, then. Just about seven years ago, I later discovered on the internet that this particular author had accumulated some years in the academic space that thrusted on him the commensurate laurels in the academia. The process was that with the passage of time, to sharpen his academic skills, he had invested more years and funding in studies, researches, and whatever, as it were, in his chosen discipline. This eventually paid off for him, to later rise to professorial status and eventually capped it with being appointed as the Vice-Chancellor in one major university. In all, he had put in over forty years in the academia, cum full professor. As at the time I was reading about him on the net, with his picture conspicuously displayed on the page, you see a man who was barely surviving in a makeshift room, struggling to make ends meet, in the midst of social misfits, in one of the slums of his nation! To say he was living on charity would be an understatement. It was a gory sight of a man similitude of a man who never passed through the four walls of a university! A sad story of a man who had toiled diligently, and invested several years in the academia, rising, probably to the highest office in a university, only to end like a pauper… a clear illustration of a man that toiled for most of his years, but at the end, having nothing to show for it, or at best, not living to enjoy the rewards of his ‘toiling.’ This is just one of many uncountable unpleasant experiences that pervade our world, of battles that wait at the peak of peoples careers / labors.

SIDEBAR:

• Ours is a world full of unexplainable mysteries; wherein swapped and wasted destinies, rejected excellence and abandoned brilliancy, frustrated ambitions, stunted and retarded growth, wasted efforts and labors, abound all over the place.
• While the widow of the prophet ran to the lead prophet-Elisha, for solution, Jesus Christ, in the time of grace, was readily on hand to instruct Peter on what to do to overcome his failure, even before he sought His help.
• Yes, He’s always available ONLY if we care to see Him, listen to Him when He instructs , and act on such instructions.
• Whatever makes you relevant, to be sought – after, competitive, impactful to your world, brings you to limelight and ultimately puts meal on your table ‘legitimately’, is your fishing net. Secure it prayerfully !

PRAYERS:

• LORD, I speak over all that You have given me, they shall suffer no toiling.
• LORD, I cry to You today, as You are already in the boat of my life, please do not exit.
• LORD, please help me that I shall NOT labor loss. Amen!

PRAYER OF SALVATION:

Peradventure you want to accept the LORD as your Savior, you may please pray thus: LORD JESUS, I repent confess, and forsake my sinful ways and I surrender my life to You. I accept You as my LORD and Savior. Amen!

CONCLUSION:

Peter toiled all night and caught nothing. This was supposed to be a wasted effort on the part of one of the foremost fishermen of his days. But for the timely intervention of Jesus Christ, he would have ended that night’s adventure in vain. At the end of the day, for simply yielding to the instruction of the Master, things took a new and favorable dimension for him. So much so that he became employer of labor. Beloved, what is that situation we are dealing with in our respective circumstance? Simply yield to the LORD.

Being the 56th Edition Of Our

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Olusegun A Emosu (The Blessed, The Chosen & The Favored)

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The Redeemed Christian Church Of God,

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© May 2026