The day had finally come for the big wedding that had been the talk of the town for weeks! The carefully planned preparations were going without a single hitch! The celebration was going to be all they had worked and hoped and planned for it to be. The guests were enjoying the delicious food the parents of the bride had provided and were partaking freely of the wine given by their host. Everyone was having a great time!
It was then that the head servant approached one of the hostesses, Mary, and with great distress told her that they had run out of wine! What a catastrophe! But Mary didn't panic; she turned to her Son and quietly said, "They have no more wine." Jesus glanced at His mother and told her that this was not His problem, He couldn't do anything about it--He wasn't ready to become a public figure yet. However, Mary knew her Son. She knew His compassion and she was well aware of His ability. "Do whatever He tells you to do," she said calmly to the servants.
You know the story. They filled the pots with water as Jesus instructed them to do, and when the headwaiter tasted it he was overwhelmed! It was delicious! Premium wine! As they served it to the guests the remarks were very complimentary. "Well, Friend, you have saved the best wine for the end of the celebration. How clever of you to do that!"
The wedding at Cana of Galilee became the first "stop" on His tour. The servants knew something miraculous had happened and His disciples knew, but I wonder if the servants told the master and if the master told some of his guests? I doubt it. It would be embarrassing for the host to confess that he had not prepared enough wine for the party. But that small miracle revealed to the disciples who Jesus was, and they believed.[1]
How often do we accept the compassion and understanding of our Lord, but don't stop to give Him the thanks for what He did? It is so hard for us to accept the truth that He created us'"I had nothing to do with my beautiful hair. I was born with it!" "I began playing the piano when I was four years old. I was born with this talent." "I'm gifted as an athlete and I have merely taken what was given to me and practiced diligently." "I love ministering to people'it is obviously a gift."
We tend to go through life without considering such questions, "Where did I get the power to breathe? Where does the air come from? Why am I able to do these things and he is not?"
Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp,
by tambourine and flute, and by wine,
But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the Lord,
Nor do they consider the work of His hands.
Isaiah 5:12 (NAS)
You remember these verses: "I don't need your sacrifices of flesh and blood. What I want from you is your true thanks; I want your promises fulfilled; I want you to trust Me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you, and you can give Me glory. [2]
God isn't opposed to having fun together--picture Him sitting in the sand on the beach eating fish with His friends and having a good time laughing and talking. What He wants is for us to realize that every good and perfect gift is from God [3] and to thank Him for it. Oh, you don't need to stop the festivities and have prayer with all the guests, but you do need to say when you fall exhausted into your bed, "Thank You, Lord. The shower was lovely and everybody had such a good time. The gifts people brought were beautiful and the 'bride-to-be' was so appreciative and gracious. Thank You. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect celebration and I certainly could not have done it without You."
Without Me, Anabel, you can do nothing. [4]
