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"Unless we form the habit of going to the Bible in bright moments as well as in trouble, we cannot fully respond to its consolations because we lack equilibrium between light and darkness."
Scripture & Devotion: John 2:1-5
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Bring it to Jesus
Jesus was on a mission. He had only three years to change the world. He had to train 12 disciples who had no idea what they were getting into. There was lots to do and he takes the guys to a party.
According to personality tests I am a task-oriented person. When I have something to do I like to stay at it until it gets done. This can be a good thing, but it has it’s issues. Sometimes when I am involved in a task, whether at work or at home, I don’t take time to just be with people. Jesus was starting to teach his disciples that His ministry, their ministry, was to be among the people. Jesus accomplished more in a lifetime than any man in history, but He always had time for people.
John says that this was the first miracle of Jesus in Galilee. It seems different than Jesus’ other miracles. No one was sick. No one was hungry. No one was blind. A wedding banquet had run out of wine. Why bother the Son of God with this? Even Jesus seems to say this. “Why do you involve me?”, he says. But Mary knew that this was important to the hosts of the banquet and she knew that Jesus could help. We don’t have to judge our prayers on whether they are worthy to take to Jesus. If it is important to us, if it is important to the ones in need we can pray, and Jesus hears.
But Mary knew one more thing would be required. “Do whatever he tells you”, she said. Sometimes the answers to our prayers begin with an act of obedient faith on our part. Before they could drink the wine, they had to fill the jars.
I often hear comments that go like this: “With all the big things that are going on in the world why would God listen to a little prayer like this?” I think this reflects a misunderstanding of the power and the character of God. God responds to real needs and He wants us to bring them to him.
So, disciple school starts at a wedding. The disciples were learning to take the time to go where the people were and be with them. They were to learn that when they saw needs that they were to bring them to Jesus. They were also going to learn that many miracles included action by them.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you that you are always with us, that you love us and that you invite us to bring all our needs to you. May we always have time, like you did, to be with people. May we always be ready to hear the voice that calls us to start a miracle with an act of faith. May we remember that a life with you ends like this story begins at a wedding supper with you.
Dave Morris