John 2

Read John Chapter 2 :: Here

Devotional ::

“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”

John 2:1-11 ESV 

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If we look at this story through the eyes of the servants, a beautiful opportunity springs off the page and into our lives.

“Do whatever He tells you…”.  I’m sure they were surprised by what came next.

“Fill the jars with water…”.  

“Water!?  Why is He asking us to get water?  We don’t need water!  We need WINE!”

Nevertheless, to their credit, as crazy as Jesus’ request must have seemed to them, the servants still obeyed.  And then, almost two hundred gallons later, their task went from weird to worse…  Can you imagine the worry that must have washed over them when Jesus asked them to fill a wine glass with WATER and take it to their boss?

“I’m gonna lose my job!”  But something in the eyes of this man named Jesus, something in His voice must have nudged them past unbelief and into faith.  And as they obeyed the most ridiculous command they had ever heard — the servants became participants in a miracle.

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Sometimes God asks us to do things that don’t make sense.  And it is in these moments that we learn we can trust Him, if we will believe and obey.

God does not send anyone on a fool’s errand.  Instead, He gives us an opportunity to walk out our faith in Him, to live into reality what He is saying to us, to join Him in changing the shape of the world around us, one small miracle at a time.

One last thing we can learn from the story of the servants: not every miracle makes the headlines.  The wedding guests, even the master of the feast, didn't know where this new wine had come from…only the servants and the disciples got to see that part of the story.  Some of life’s sweetest moments are shared just between Jesus and those who are willing to trust Him, obey, and watch Him turn water into wine.

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Reflect ::

•What is Jesus asking you to do that requires complete trust & obedience?

•What miracle might be possible if you say “yes” to Jesus?

•Further Study: The Gospel of John is rich with symbolism; there are layers of meaning in each story.  In this passage, what might be symbolized by the “third day” (Verse 1), the “six stone jars” (Verse 6), and the “best wine” being saved for last? (Verse 10).

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Prayer ::

Jesus, Your ways are higher than ours, and we often struggle to understand why or what You are doing.  Give us the heart of a willing servant, believing in You and doing what You ask. We trust that in our faith and obedience You are working miracles! 

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Action ::

Be on the lookout for an opportunity to obey Jesus today; especially in something that requires you to trust Him.