The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:1-11)
Mothers can get their kids to do lots of things. They might not like it, but they do it anyway. And if they ask why, sometimes I like to throw in the old favorite, “Because I said so.” Most of the time my kiddos do what’s asked of them without complaining. But they are coming into those teenage years, and I have seen an eye roll or two lately.
I love this miracle. This is the first miracle that Jesus ever performed. He turned water into wine. And secretly, I love that it was His mama that brought it up. 🙂
This miracle is particularly interesting to me. It was the very first one. Mary was really the only there that had an inkling of what He was capable of. She knew the miracle of His birth. She knew what the angel spoke to her about Him. She was there with Simeon and Anna in the temple after he was born when they spoke about the Savior. She stored all these things in her heart.
But she was the only one. His disciples were starting to see some things, but no one had ever witnessed Jesus doing a miracle before. They had no previous experience to rely on for their faith. When Mary told Jesus they were out of wine, and he turned her down and said, “It’s not my problem,” she didn’t let it fall there. She pushed it a little farther and in faith told those servants to do whatever Jesus said. She expected Him to do something.
And He did. He responded to her faith. And what great faith those servants had to have. I wonder if they even knew Who they were talking to. The Son of God made flesh. It astounds me that they did it! They filled water pots with water and took it to the head guy to try to pass it off as wine. I wonder what they were thinking! “Ummm…we are going to give him water? He’s going to think we are crazy!” And then when he called it wine and they served it to the guests as wine, I really wonder what they were thinking. “Who is that Guy?”
They experienced first hand the very first miracle of Jesus because faith drew out the power of God.
I have been walking with the Lord for almost 25 years now. I have a lot of firsthand experience with God answering prayer for me. I have a long history of relationship with Him to fall back on to bolster and encourage my faith.
Sometimes I like to remember the firsts. The first time I read my Bible and understood it. The first time I talked with Him….not just to Him, but with Him. You know, where He answered back and I heard His voice for the first time. The first time He answered my prayer.
In that history I have also had those times where my prayers weren’t answered, where faith didn’t become sight when I thought it should, when I didn’t hear His voice. And to be truthful, sometimes that made me hesitant to believe and ask.
We all have history with the Lord. The wonderful thing I want us to see here is faith is not based on history. Faith is based solely on the Word of God. God does not answer prayer based on history. Faith draws out the power of God. I have had my fair share of “faith failures” but we are not to base our faith on our experience. Faith is based on what God said.
Don’t be afraid to ask again. Don’t be afraid to believe again. Shake off the old things….those old “failures” that are trying to keep you from believing and press into Him now. We may never understand the “why” of the past. But that should not keep us from seeing miracles today. You can cling to His Word….He is still faithful Who promised!
God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us. This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. (Hebrews 6:18-19)