The words must have sounded naïve. I wonder if Peter even stifled a snicker. After a long, exhausting—and ultimately unsuccessful—night’s work, he was thinking of a hot breakfast and a comfortable bed. The last thing he needed was some rabbi telling him how to do his job.

It was early morning. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, and others had just returned from a night’s fishing and were now cleaning their nets before heading home. Jesus was also by the water—preaching. Even this early in the day the crowds had gathered around Him, so much so that Jesus preached from Peter’s boat.

Then the strange command came. Turning to Peter, Jesus said, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish” (Luke 5:4). But they’d already worked all night without results—the fish simply weren’t there. Jesus was the carpenter turned rabbi—but Peter was the fisherman. This was his area of expertise. Still, Peter obeyed Jesus. And soon his boat was full of flipping, flopping fish (Luke 5:6-7).

Jesus is “Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). He’s even Lord of our careers. In Jesus, Peter met someone who trumped his vocational authority.

Fishing, cooking, architecture, and engineering; mathematics, biology, art, and horticulture; business, manufacturing, marketing, and parenting—Jesus is Lord of it all. Whatever your calling in life, Jesus is your ultimate authority. The One who fills the whole universe (Ephesians 4:10) and readily gives wisdom (Proverbs 2:6; James 1:5) wants to direct your day-to-day work.

The story ends with Peter bowing to Jesus’ authority (Luke 5:8,11). Is Jesus Lord of your Monday to Friday work-life as much as he is of your Sunday worship?

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Samuel 17:1-31