Author: Bill Hall

Luke 5:13 “Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.”

   This response of Christ to the leper is still His response to those who seek Him today. His willingness has never been a holdup. He is willing that all should come to repentance. Though we should be acutely aware that this is great grace on His part, it is a reality that will continue until He takes His church from this world.

Heavenly Father, Your goodness is complete! You don’t leave anything out in Your relationship with us. We cannot complain of anything less than beneficence on Your part. Thank you for Your willingness to make possible our redemption! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:12 “And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

   This man’s disease had worked on his heart. He has one of the most appropriate responses to Christ that we see in the gospels. Falling immediately on his face, and imploring. Not even assuming that the Lord would be willing to cleanse him, he had no question in his mind that the Lord was able to do it. So often people assume God is willing to help them, but wonder if he is able; when it should be the other way around!

Heavenly Father, thank You for, through Christ, making known to us Your willingness and ability to help us in our helplessness. You are worthy of our most committed devotion, and our deepest worship. You alone hold our praises in Your hand. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:11 “So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.”

   This was the beginning of several years with Christ. They became His disciples immediately. The fish and boats were left behind. Did they know what they were doing? They understood the concept, but they never could have known all that would take place in their time with Christ. Nor did they realize their future roles after His ascension. But, their break with this world was genuine nonetheless.

Heavenly Father, we need a cause in our lives. We need something to be and do. You supply us with both. As we follow Christ, we have both an identity and a mission. May we glorify You in every way as we go about to serve You with all of our heart. You are worthy! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:10 “and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”

   What a response! Jesus always has just the right thing to say. Here He lets Peter know that his life was about to change completely. Jesus would use him as a minister and he would reach others for Christ. Jesus in essence says, don’t worry, I have plans for you.

Heavenly Father, Your plans are always perfect! Thank You for being involved in our lives. You don’t just leave us hanging, You are at work with us. You are cultivating us, making us more Christ-like. May we never take that for granted. You are wonderful to us! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:9 “For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;”

   All of these men immediately understood what this miracle signified. They knew that they were in the company of no ordinary man. This would be a day they would not soon forget.

Heavenly Father, we will never forget the day You saved us from the horrors of sin. Your work in our lives is amazing to us. We will continually give You the glory for all that You do. You deserve our deepest gratitude and all of our adoration. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:8 “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

   What was Peter expressing here? Are we not all sinful? What is he thinking? Well, we have to understand this from a very Jewish perspective. In the mind of a Jewish person, if they were keeping the law, they were righteous. If, on the other hand, they were part of a cross-section of Jewish society that tended not to be so zealous for the law, they might see themselves as sinners just as Peter does here. In other words, that sense of spiritual security, real or not, that came from the attempted observance of the law was dismantled and replaced by a certain foreboding expectation of judgment. It could, however, produce a more realistic sense of the Holiness of Almighty God, and one’s own unworthiness. This was the case with Peter.

Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing to us an accurate view of our actual condition. What would we do but while away our lives in sin and hopelessness without the clear light of Your truth? Can we ever thank You enough for Christ? I praise You for Him! He is our Messiah, our Savior, our Lord! May we live to serve Him all of our days! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:7 “So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.”

   Why such a bountiful catch? Would not a smaller miracle have been no less amazing? Ah, but remember, miracles are not done simply for amazing. Miracles are a glory to Almighty God. They show His mighty power. The idea was not just to supply these men with plenty of fish, but to show them that Jesus is God.

Heavenly Father, let us never forget that this is all about You. It has never been about anything else. You are the center of the whole thing. Everything we do, and everything that is done for us and with us, is all about You. What glory! You are the One we adore. We honor You, Almighty God! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:6 “And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.”

   Sometimes the blessings are hard to believe. But we must remember, it all belongs to the Lord anyway. Greater blessings may encourage in us greater praise, but He deserved that praise all along. We need not praise Him only in accordance with blessing, but at all times, regardless of the circumstances.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your blessings! But we will praise You regardless of what You give us. It is not only Your blessings in our lives that we seek, but a sense of Your direction and approval. We want to know that we know You, and that You are involved in our lives. And that may be without the blessings we expect. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:5 “But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”

   Simon was reluctant but obedient. He did not have any idea what the Lord had in mind. But, he knew listening to Christ was the right thing to do. We all should have the same attitude. even if we don’t know what He has in mind, we should obey.

Heavenly Father, we cannot know all that You have in store for us. But, we do know we can trust You no matter what. Your way is the best way. Of that we can be certain. We will seek Your grace as we seek Your face. Give us the opportunity to praise You each and every day. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 5:4 “When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

   Jesus knew of course what He was about to do. He brought great blessing to the lives of these simple fishermen. He does the same in the lives of so many even today.

Heavenly Father, You are the One our soul looks to. We don’t know what is best for us. We cannot see or hear without You. You give us the truth, and that is so precious to us! We praise Your Name and lift it high! You alone are our shield and deliverer. You alone are God. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.