Full and Empty

I'm in my 17th reading, and I've just been absolutely enamored with this gospel. It is so very rich. And I really do love this reading plan if you haven't figured that one out already.  I shared earlier about persecution, but here's another thought that's been turning itself around in my head lately. 

In Luke 5, Jesus calls Simon Peter, James and John to be His disciples. 

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were^(C)washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.  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. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

This story was so interesting to me, because the disciples trusted Jesus when their nets were empty, and they trusted Him when their nets were full. They'd been fishing all night and had nothing to show for it, and even though they let down their nets as Jesus said, it was mostly to humor Him. Then, they caught more fish than they could believe, and when Jesus said "follow me", they left their bounty behind. I think that's a really beautiful thing - to come to Jesus with empty hands, knowing He can give and take away, and trust Him no matter what. It reminds me of what Paul wrote in the letter to the Philippians: 

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11b-13

Followers of Jesus can be content in all things because Christ has given us everything.