Weddings, Willingness, and Wine

We’ll attend three weddings this summer. Three. Children of friends and friends of our children. I can’t wait. Jesus attended weddings too, and I found a lesson in one such scene. One in how to define obedience.

At the wedding in Cana, Mom Mary nudges Jesus to take action when the wine runs out. You can picture the eye roll and the “Mom!” He gives her. It’s not time yet.

But she won’t let it go. Her next words, she directs to the nearby servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5 NIV)

Their assignment?

Fill six stone water jars of twenty-to-thirty gallon capacity.

Where’s a water hose when you need one? After innumerable trips to the well (How many gallons can you carry at one time?) they fill the jars to the brim. Jesus now instructs them to take some to the master of the banquet.

The banquet master is so impressed with the wine’s quality he seeks out the bridegroom to compliment him personally. The bridegroom is clueless.

But the servants know.

Now the servants could have refused to obey this stranger. They could have obeyed, but griped every step of the way. They could have delegated the task to someone farther down on the servant totem pole. Or they could have simply obeyed, just happy in the festive atmosphere of the wedding.

Poor attitude or willing, the servants fill the jars—and participate in a miracle, Jesus’ first.

But—

Can’t you just see Him wink at the waitor who draws the first cup of wine? Can’t you see Him putting a finger over His lips as the servant’s eyes grow wide in amazement?

Like a parent accompanied by his “helping” child, God delights when we work with Him. Check out Jesus’ words in John 15:14-15, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

So are you doing what He tells you? Because that’s how we define obedience. Do whatever He tells us. Our attitude reflects how willing we are. Willing or not, if you’ve obeyed, I bet you’ve seen some God-things go down. If not, you’re missing out. Be willing to fill the jar—whatever that may mean for you—and watch for the wine.

Questions:

Had you been a servant at the wedding, how would you have responded to Mary?

To Jesus?

How do you respond to Him now?

Do you see a similar response in your kids?

Does anything hinder you from complete obedience?

Have you seen water turn to wine?

Family Application:

Assign your children some mundane tasks, then hide something fun along the way. Coins, candy, something age appropriate. Be creative.

Examples: Ask your teen to mow the lawn and tape a $5 Sonic card to the side of the gas can.

Ask your child to straighten and dust the bookshelf. Hide candy behind the books. If they do the job well, they will find it.

Have your children empty the trashcans and tape a prize to the inside bottom of one of the cans.

Tweetables:

The bridegroom is clueless. But the servants know. Click To Tweet
Poor attitude or willing, the servants filled the jars—and participated in a miracle, Jesus’ first. Click To Tweet
Like a parent accompanied by his “helping” child, God delights when we work with Him. Click To Tweet
Be willing to fill the jar—whatever that may mean for you—and watch for the wine. Click To Tweet

2 Comments

  1. Jordan on May 13, 2015 at 7:21 pm

    I noticed that everyone gets to enjoy the wine, but only the servants get to see the miracle.

  2. Gayle Veitenheimer on May 14, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    Ooo! Great thought!

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