But If You Say So

Jesus is not just someone you hear about—He’s Someone you follow. He’s not simply a message you listen to; He’s a voice you obey.
One of the quiet dangers of our culture is that we’re surrounded by so many voices. Opinions are everywhere. Advice is constant. Everybody has a viewpoint. And if we’re not careful, we can dilute Jesus down to just another voice in the noise—another option on the menu.

But Jesus isn’t an option. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

And there’s a moment I believe every believer must face—where you stop negotiating with God and start obeying.

Because your life changes when you shift from “I know” to “I will.”

Most of the time, we don’t struggle because we don’t know what to do. We struggle because we don’t do what we already know. The problem isn’t always an absence of information—it’s an absence of application. Sometimes you don’t need another sermon, another conference, or another inspirational moment. Sometimes you simply need to say:
“I’m going to start doing what I already know to do.”

Jesus Steps Into the Boat of Your Real Life
In Luke 5, Jesus is preaching, and the crowd is hungry. They press in so tightly that Jesus backs up toward the water. And then He sees something ordinary: two empty boats. Nearby, fishermen are washing their nets.
That detail matters, because washing nets is what you do when you’re done. It’s the end-of-shift routine. It’s the moment you’re tired, frustrated, and ready to go home—especially after a night of working hard and catching nothing.
And that’s when Jesus steps in.
Not in a temple.
Not at a spiritual retreat.
Not in some “perfect holy moment.”
Right in the middle of an ordinary, disappointing workday.

Jesus steps into Simon Peter’s boat and asks him to push out a little so He can keep teaching. But after He finishes speaking to the crowd, He turns to the men who will become His disciples—and He gives a command:
“Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
Peter responds with facts:
“Master, we worked hard all night and didn’t catch a thing.”
Then he says the line that changes everything:
“But if You say so… I’ll let the nets down again.”

That sentence is the sound of discipleship.
It’s the moment you stop arguing and start trusting.
It may not make sense.
The timing may feel wrong.
You may feel tired, disappointed, or unqualified.
But disciples learn how to say: “But if You say so.”
They go deeper. They let the nets down again. And the catch becomes so large that the nets begin tearing. They have to call partners to help. Their boats are sinking under the weight of blessing.

One act of obedience turns empty nets into overflowing boats.

Crowds Listen, Disciples Obey
There’s a difference between crowds and disciples.
Crowds are fickle. Crowds change. Crowds are moved by feelings. They can shout “Hosanna!” one day and “Crucify Him!” the next.
But disciples don’t just hear Jesus—they follow Him.
Crowds listen, but disciples obey.

Crowds admire, but disciples surrender.

Crowds want inspiration, but disciples choose transformation.
And that’s the invitation in this story. Jesus is calling you out of shallow, manageable living into deeper trust.

Because comfort lives in shallow water. But depth is where discipleship grows.

Invite Jesus Into Your Routine
This story also teaches us something incredibly practical:
Jesus steps into ordinary places.
He isn’t afraid of your routine. He isn’t intimidated by your stress. He isn’t bothered by your mess. He will meet you in the middle of real life—your job, your finances, your parenting, your pressure, your disappointment.
Some people only want Jesus in their “church life.”
But Jesus wants to be in the boat of your real life.
Because what you do every day shapes your future.

What you do occasionally inspires you, but what you do consistently transforms you.
Routine isn’t just boring repetition. Routine is how you aim your life. It’s how you build a platform strong enough to carry what you’re praying for.

And that’s why the simple invitation is this: let Jesus into the boat.

Facts vs. Truth
Peter had facts on his side:

• “We’re professionals.”
• “We were out all night.”
• “Nothing worked.”
• “There are no fish.”

But truth stepped into the boat.
Facts describe what you see.
Truth declares what God says.

And what you see is temporary—subject to change. But truth overrides facts every time when you choose to trust and obey.
So don’t let the natural report become the final report. Don’t build your life on what you can see. Let Jesus speak, and let obedience follow.

One Step Deeper This Week
This week, don’t try to overhaul your whole life in a day. Just take one step deeper.
Cast one net.
Maybe it’s time with God.
Maybe it’s forgiveness.
Maybe it’s your words.
Maybe it’s obedience in a place you’ve been negotiating.
Small obedience is still obedience.
And keep this phrase close:
“But if You say so.”

That line can change your marriage, your mind, your money, and your future—because it marks the moment you stop negotiating and start obeying.

Prayer
Father, thank You that You don’t only meet us in big spiritual moments—you meet us in ordinary life. Thank You for stepping into our boat, even when we’re tired, disappointed, and frustrated. Forgive us for the times we’ve negotiated with You instead of obeying You. Today we surrender again: more of You and less of us.
Jesus, we invite You into our routine, our decisions, our stress, our work, our finances, our relationships, and every place we’ve been trying to handle things alone. Teach us to trust You deeper than what we can see. Give us courage to take one step of obedience this week—one “net” we need to cast again. Help us become disciples who don’t just hear Your Word, but live it.

We choose to say, “But if You say so.”
In Jesus’ name, amen.