Five-minute read.
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
John 2:1-11
Because of the small size of Cana, everyone in the community would have an invite to the wedding. Not providing for your guests would cause social disgrace, never forgotten; it would haunt the newlyweds for life. Mary, realizing the consequences to the couple if the wine ran out, turned to Jesus for help. As the Lord’s mother, she knew He possessed divine powers and could solve the problem. Thinking about Mary’s job, raising the Savior, I can’t imagine what she knew no one else did. Moms know their kids; no one knows a child better than the mother. All the little quirks, the weaknesses and strengths, what helps them thrive. Moms know it all and use their knowledge to help their children grow and mature.
Mary doesn’t take no for an answer from Jesus. Despite His words, Mary tells the servants to do whatever He says, and Jesus obeys His mother. The stone jars held approximately 120 gallons of water, equal to 2000 four-ounce glasses of wine; Jesus made enough wine to last several days. The first miracle foreshadowed the Lord’s ministry, conversion. Jesus turned water into wine and converted sinners into saints. Transformation occurs when Christ enters the story.
Typically, the water held in the stone jars cleansed the hands of the guests before eating. Living in an agricultural world, dirt covered them from head to toe. When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He had work to do. Wearing only sandals, think about the last time you wore flip-flops while walking on dirt paths. Currently, my Oofos have glitter stuck to them from my crafting business. With no outer protection, feet get dirty quickly on dusty roads. And so do their hands. Metaphorically, the connection between turning water into wine and sinners into saints requires washing away the dirt and muck, giving new purpose to the water and our lives.
Diluting the wine with water saved money. When the master, the head waiter for the event, tasted the high quality of the wine it shocked him. Customarily, after the guests drank enough of the good stuff, they overlooked the diluted wine. But the wine Jesus made tasted better than anything the master ever had. When Christ works, He doesn’t dilute, giving us His best. The more we allow the Lord to order our steps, the more we will experience the miraculous works of His hand. Every day, God performs miracles, ordinary things become extraordinary when Jesus gets involved.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Jesus’ work in our lives, converting us from sinners to saints. Please help us recognize the miracles You perform in our ordinary lives, making them extraordinary. Let us honor You in our words and deeds as we allow You to order our steps.
IJNIP. Amen
