When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets, and you will catch many fish.” — Luke 5:10
For many people, a call to follow Jesus is all they ever hear. They never hear His Spirit say that it’s time to launch out into the deep. One reason they do not hear is that they make sure they are not listening! Jesus will not use a megaphone. You will be safe if you stay out of earshot. But if you stay close to Him, you will be bound to hear the commissioning call of the Lord.
Very soon after I accepted Christ, He asked me to let him preach from the boat of my life. This necessitated my moving out a safe distance from the shore. After catching some fish (what a thrill!), I was hooked myself! Once you have caught men and women for Christ and his kingdom, there appears no sane alternative under heaven. You have to forsake all and follow Him!
The first time I led someone to Christ, the joy and astonishment was enough to make me decide there was nothing in life I would rather do. Whether I continued to teach to support myself or depended on the church for my full salary appeared a minor consideration. The most important decision was full commitment to the art and technique of fishing for people for the rest of my days. I couldn’t wait to start and, fifty years later, I have absolutely no plans to stop! It’s marvelous, fishing with Jesus!
For further study: Luke 5:1-11