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We see Jesus go up on a mountain to pray to God all night – like literally – Jesus did that. Not just a prayer before he went to sleep, not just for a few restless hours, Jesus prayed ALLLLLL night.

Have you ever done that? I haven’t. 15 minutes in prayer is a stretch for me. How much more can I say? If Jesus, God in flesh, the one with a more direct connection to God than any of us – if he sometimes needed to spend the entire night praying to seek God’s will and guidance, how much more do we?

What was Jesus up there praying about all night long? He was seeking who God had chosen as the 12 disciples to walk this journey with him. Jesus knew his inner circle was of critical importance. He knew who he brought to the table, who he invited “backstage” to the miracles he was about to perform, who he revealed him true self to the most – that truly mattered. He himself was God, and his circle mattered.

You know what this tells me – this tells me my circle matters far more than I’ve ever realized. We’ve all heard that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with – and it’s actually true. Whatever is normal for your circle eventually becomes normal for you too. You’re continually being molded and shaped by your environment by the habits, attitudes and beliefs of those around you.

You were given this one lifetime with an assignment from God – his good purposes for your life were aligned before your first breath. But your ability to fulfill the mission of your life is continually being affected by the people you bring in close to you.

And how Jesus handled the choosing of his inner circle was with an entire night of prayer on a mountain with God. Now why is it we only pray about our relationships when there’s a problem in them? Why are we so quick to jump in then wonder why those relationships are stressed? Girls, why aren’t we genuinely praying about who we allow in close to us? Why aren’t we seeking God’s hand in the selection of our people like it’s going to affect everything we do – because actually, it is.

I have an inner circle and that’s not always easy – you know why? Because that means some people get more of me than others. That means there’s space for offense. That means there’s opportunity for jealousy. My inner circle sometimes shifts because sometimes life just changes. Certain relationships grow while other relationships have a different purpose in a different season. Can we all see that there’s nothing wrong with that?

Jesus would spend the day hanging out with thousands of people, then at the end of the day he would send the crowds away and get in a boat with just his circle of 12. If Jesus did that, so can I – and so can you. If that was important for Jesus, then how much more important is that for us?

Let God show you your people, then protect that space with them.

Does it mean if someone is not in your inner circle, they’re bad, they’re less important, less valuable? No!

Imagine the followers of Jesus gathered at the foot of that mountain that morning when Jesus came down. How many people were there? We don’t know exactly, but later we see a mention of over 70. So, let’s just imagine there are 70 people who have been following Jesus. 70 people who have been listening to him, learning from him, and wanting to go where he’s going next. But Jesus gathers them together at daybreak and announces his 12.

Were there some hurt feelings in the crowd? Perhaps.
Did Jesus make any apologies for choosing his circle? No.
Did he announce his chosen 12 were better than the others? No.

My friends, when you seek God’s will, you don’t have to feel bad about walking in it. When you have truly prayed, truly surrendered, and are truly living in obedience, you can finally overcome the crippling plague of people pleasing and step into God honoring.

I’m assuming not everyone in this crowd of followers was pleased over Jesus’ selection of his disciples. While it was never Jesus’ intention to hurt anyone, it was also not his purpose to please everyone. He had a mission to fulfill, now he had his inner circle, chosen by God, to train up for the purposes of continuing his mission.

Disciple #1: Peter (also know as Simon)

First on the list is Simon, who Jesus later renamed as Peter. Who was this fella? Well, if we’re playing favorites, he’s my favorite of the 12. He’s the impulsive one – the all-in one, the rambunctious, adventurous one. He’s also the one who spoke before thinking, and found himself in way over his head. He’s a wild dreamer who wanted things to be happy and positive, and struggled with handling some of the harder stuff.

Hmmmm, that’s me. Peter, meet Pamela. Pamela, meet Peter. We are so very alike. Anyone else see themselves in this chosen disciple of Jesus named Peter? Anyone else feeling especially seen and slightly called out?

Peter was so incredibly ordinary. He was a fisherman, the most ordinary of professions in this time. He got up early, he worked hard, and he depended on that work for his future. Then Jesus came and turned his whole world upside down.

One day Peter was washing his fishing nets after an unproductive night of fishing. They had fished all night and caught absolutely nothing. No fish, no money. So this particular day was especially frustrating. All that work with nothing to show for it. Washing the nets was a big job. For anyone who has a boat, you know the amount of work it is to clean up that boat after a day of fishing.

And Jesus is there teaching on the shore as Peter is cleaning up, and Jesus asks if he can get in his boat to teach from the water so more people can hear him. And in that moment, Peter makes a decision that would unknowingly change the trajectory of his life. He lets Jesus in his boat.

So, Jesus teaches from his boat. Cool. Peter must have been tired. He had been working the entire night before. I’m sure he just wanted to go home and rest so he could go back out there on the boat and try again the next night and just hope to have more success. But he sits on the boat and holds it steady so Jesus can teach. Then, after Jesus finishes speaking, he turns to Peter and in Luke 5:4, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

Nope – that didn’t make any sense. But Peter is about to learn that when Jesus says something he can just skip the part of rationalizing and go straight to the part of believing and responding in obedience.

When Peter lets down his nets again at the most inopportune and unlikely time for fishing, suddenly his nets were so full of fish, they began to tear! Now, both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

Now, here’s the really wild thing – this miraculous catch of fish was actually fame and fortune. Peter and his 3 fellow fishermen, Andrew, James and John, had just caught enough fish to all retire. They would be famous for this catch. The value of these fish was about 25 years worth of wages for EACH of them. Everything they had ever worked for, the business they had spent every night growing, now all of a sudden they have the wildest success ever!

And Jesus asks them to walk away from it.

Literally walk away.

Peter, if I give you what you’ve been working so hard for – if I give you more than you even know what to do with – will you drop it all and follow me?

Verses 10-11, Jesus said “‘Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!’ And as soon as they landed, they LEFT EVERYTHING AND FOLLOWED JESUS.”

Why would Jesus choose an ordinary fisherman? Could it be because Peter was actually willing to leave everything he had ever worked for to simply follow him?

Follow him where? Unknown.
Follow him and do what? Unknown.
Follow him for how long? Unknown.

And Peter stared down the unknown while also having the invitation of fame and fortune in his boats, and he chose the unknown with Jesus.

Would we do the same? Or would the early retirement be too sweet to pass up?

Has the unknown caused you to forfeit a personal journey with Jesus?

There’s a prayer I pray every morning while on my knees that seems fitting here:

Give me the courage to surrender what I have made too important and the strength to endure whatever it costs to put You first.
Give me the grace to receive good things from Your hand without turning them into idols. Help me enjoy Your gifts without worshiping Your gifts.

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