Late Arrival
Sometimes we are asked to do something before we think we are ready.
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. - John 2:1-11
John kicks off Jesus' ministry with a most unlikely sign, the miracle at Cana.
The situation is awkward for Jesus. He is at a wedding feast along with his friends and his mom is there, a sign that this must be a family member who is getting married. Perhaps the relative is the groom, since it is he that Mary is concerned about.
They have run out of wine.
Now that could be embarrassing for the groom and his family, right? But does it warrant a miracle?
Jesus doesn't just find them a few bottles. He comes up with gallons and gallons of the best wine they have ever tasted. And John says this is the first of his signs, revealing his glory.
The guests believed the good wine was saved for last, which could represent God saving his arrival until now, long after the prophets were gone.
Maybe that is a sign for us in our lives as well, that the best may yet to come. We may find the glory of God does not shine in us until later in life, late in the party.
So, what is it that God has in store for us at this point in our lives? How will we surprise our guests? What are we saving for the end?
Maybe now is the time to show what we've got.
More to come...