Mary’s Lent Diary (Day 6)

I love weddings!  There has been one in the village this week and I went along.  So did Jesus.  We were having a great time.  It was a brilliant party and everyone was having fun…but then the wine ran out.  It is not safe to drink water in our part of the world so, basically, there was nothing to drink.  I felt so sorry for the hosts and wished I could do something to help but I couldn’t – all I could think of to do was tell Jesus that the wine had run out.  So I did.  But he just asked me why I was telling him.  He said his time has not yet come, whatever that means…I didn’t have time to puzzle it out so I just told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do.  Honestly, it was not a good time to start speaking in riddles, so one of us had to be clear!

Jesus told the servants to fill some big jars with water and then pour the water for the master of the banquet to drink!  I have to say, my mind hesitated at that – wouldn’t it be better to try a drop ourselves, first, just in case it was not ok?  But the servants just did as Jesus told them and poured some into the master’s cup.  I held my breath and could not look away as he lifted the drink to his lips.  I saw it all in slow motion.  He swallowed, put his cup down, wiped his lips and then beckoned to the bridegroom.  The two of them moved apart from everyone else and were soon deep in conversation.  I was so worried….the drink must have been awful.  Would Jesus be in trouble?

But I needn’t have worried.  I soon saw the master and bridegroom drinking some more and smiling and laughing together. It turns out that the master had been confused because the wine tasted so good!  He was asking the bridegroom why he had saved the best till last, since most people use the best wine first.

I was so relieved, and it wasn’t until I sat down (with a glass of wine) that I stopped to think about what had actually happened.  Jesus – my son – had turned water into wine! 

(John 2)

Water Swilling In A Wine Glass

Here we have a wedding day problem.  So Mary turns to Jesus and asks Him to fix it.  Which He does.

Seems simple enough….but wait.  Why did Mary think Jesus would be able to perform such a miracle? 

He hadn’t done anything like this before.  She had not seen him perform any miracles.  It is not as though she just thought he would do what he always did –

because he had never done this before.

Mary might not have seen Jesus fix a problem in this way before BUT she had lived with him for 30 years. 

She had spent time with Him. 

She had got to know Him. 

She had shared her life with Him.

And so, despite never having seen him perform a miracle before, she had learned to trust him.

Mary had learned, through being with Jesus, that He was someone who was able to do more than she expected, more than she hoped for, more than she even looked for.

‘He (God) is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power at work within us.’

Ephesians 3 v 20

What about you?

Your God is a God who can do immeasurably more. 

But is your God also a God who is limited by your doubts?  By your fears?  By your uncertainties?  By your lack of trust?

How about following Mary’s example – when you don’t know what to do, when the way ahead seems uncertain, when the problem seems insurmountable….turn to Jesus.  And leave it with him.

Then wait and see what he does.  Give him a chance, and see water turn into wine. 

See problems turn into solutions. 

See fear turn into reassurance. 

See doubt turn into joy.

God is a God of water-into wine moments – don’t miss out on the wine because you are too scared to mention the water to Him.

And don’t forget to trust Him.  Imagine the trust it took from those servants to pour out water for the Master of the Banquet! 

But they did it. 

Because Jesus had told them to. 

Despite the lack of evidence, they did it. 

They trusted Jesus, picked up water and poured out wine.

Imagine what God can do with what you’ve got. With your possessions, with your relationships, with your time.

So, give it to him. 

Then pick it up, pour it out…and then watch for a water-into-wine moment.

 Lord Jesus

Help me to trust You, with all that I have and am.

You can do more than I imagine.

I give you my ‘water’.

Please turn it into ‘wine’.

Thank You for Your blessings.

Amen

Mary’s Memo Watch for Water-into-Wine Moments

(30 Days with Mary — Emily Owen)

Extract taken from 30 Days with Mary. Copyright 2014 © Emily Owen. Published by Authentic Media Ltd, Milton Keynes, UK.