Monday, February 9, 2015
John 2:6-9 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS!
What a wonderful wedding gift. 100-120 gallons of the finest wine. Far more than would be consumed at the wedding. But as we consider the stone jars, the exquisite wine, our attention turns from these things to Jesus. His disciples are looking at Him in a new and different way, and so do we.
What an omnipotent, gracious helper our Jesus is. His understanding and love extend into every circumstance and situation of life. He sympathizes. He cares. He acts. In our ordinary everyday struggles. In times of trouble and crisis. He can. He will. He does come to our aid. At just the right time He acts--in love--with mercy and power, the power of the very God of Creation.
The bridegroom at the wedding in Cana did not know what had happened so that he suddenly had so much excellent wine--until he spoke to those who had hauled the water from the well. But neither those young men nor Mary nor Jesus' disciples knew what you know now. Namely, the depth and reach of Jesus' compassion and love. The love that brought Him to Cana, and caused Him to act on behalf of those newlyweds, would later cause Jesus to act on behalf of us all, to shed His own blood on the cross they nailed Him to outside Jerusalem's walls.
He gives us not just the relief of embarrassment averted, but the relief of eternal shame turned into everlasting joy. He gives us not merely a splendid wedding present but the riches of sin forgiven and the promise of future joy beyond all telling.
To every believing heart Jesus assures a place of honor at an eternal wedding celebration. For the word of our God calls the wondrous joy and fellowship of heaven "the Marriage Supper of the Lamb."
