January, 2004

The word for this first month of 2004, is "transformation."

To be transformed means, literally, "to be formed across." Biblically it means to be formed anew - - changed from where we are, to where God wants to take us and re-make us.

As we meet him in Luke 5, Peter is a guy who is being changed by Christ. Peter is not merely "re-formed." He is being transformed - from a fisher of fish to a fisher of men, someone who went looking for people he could bring to Christ.

Peter's transformation - like ours - begins with his deep, personal, clear sense of need.

As Peter stared at 2 fishing boats - his boat and his friends' boat - both little vessels absolutely loaded with a fresh catch, "so full they began to sink," Peter sank, too. Falling at Jesus' knees. (Luke 5: 7-8)

We might expect him to say, "Thank you very much" or "Lord, how did you do it?" But instead he says, "Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man." (Luke 5: 8b)

Peter's transformation begins with his overwhelming sense of need, his sinful-ness, his weakness, in the presence of Jesus, the Holy One of God. Jesus, indeed, was the Righteous One, but He was also the Gracious One:

"Do not be afraid . . . " Jesus said to Peter. I have a future for you, better than anything you could have imagined, a future that overflows with fulfilling purpose and even more blessing than you can take in. I will change the focus of your fishing.

God's transforming power is both awe-some and frightening. And it seems (as illustrated in Luke 5: 1-11) to work this way:

1. You and I admit that the situation at hand (fishing, forgiving, loving, teaching, raising kids) requires more than we can provide.
2. The enemy always tries to convince us that there will never be enough to really meet our need.
3. The Lord always gives us more grace and blessing than we can receive.

What Peter needed, as he staggered in amazement in front of the full fishing boats, was not more fish and not even more evidence of Jesus' interest in his daily work. Peter needed an enlarged capacity to receive the abundance Jesus was pouring into his very heart and life.

The enemy is wrong. Our Lord can actually give us more than we need. We are not doomed to a wretched existence of insufficiency.

I imagine that we are a great deal like Simon Peter: After we meet the Lord, what we need most of all . . . is an enlarged capacity to receive.

In his name, thank you.
JPW