More on God's Love

When Simon Peter saw the awesome power of Jesus displayed, his response was the same one that Adam's and Eve's were. He said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8)

Two things are on my mind; the first is this: Simon Peter was a Jewish man. This means that he was immersed in and surrounded by Godly living; he studied The Law, the government was run by religious rulers, the laws of the land were The Torah and rules made from it, and all the people lived according to those rules and laws.

I read of no evidence of Simon Peter being a horrible sinner. In fact, according to the accounts of him found in The Bible, he seemed to be an average Joe, someone who had a good peer group and fit in well with them.

Yet when presented with the power of Jesus to change things, which could only come from God Himself, Simon Peter was afraid because of his sin.

That leaves me concerned about the sinfulness of my own life lived here in America; a culture based in rebellion against authority, and caught up in "rights, privileges, and entitlements" as an "American Citizen" and the blurring of the line between them all. Americans are really good at self-serving behaviors, and not very good at "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done." If Simon Peter, in an environment that fostered right behavior couldn't get it right, where does that leave me as a participating American? How much "sin" do I chalk up to simply "living the American Dream?"

Anyway, that aside, let's get to the main point:
Simon Peter was overwhelmed at his unrighteousness come face to face with Righteousness, and his response was horror and fear.

But notice Jesus response in verse 10, "Don't be afraid..."
Wow. Jesus, faced with our messy, polluted lives... and our horrified response to it says, "Don't be afraid." And then he goes on to make new plans for our lives; plans that include Him in them! "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." What a story for our lives!

Later, Jesus comes across a man with leprosy. The man fell face down and begged Jesus, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." (emphasis mine)
And Jesus responded simply, "I am willing."

I sometimes wonder how Jesus can be willing to take on and tackle the constant clean-out of sewage in my soul. "I am willing."
Lord, when are you not willing?
We see one place where Jesus gets really steamed, and that is at people who put up rules and barriers that prevent people from finding Him; the Religious Ones, the doctrine makers. Be careful of doctrine makers and doctrine quoters.

But the sinners who humbly acknowledge their sin; to us, he says, "Don't be afraid." and "I am willing."

What an awesome God of Love we serve.