John 2:9-11 (NLT)
9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “Usually a host serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone is full and doesn’t care, he brings out the less expensive wines. But you have kept the best until now!” 11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was Jesus’ first display of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Faith Christian Fellowship, Walnut Creek
After reading this text at the beginning of John’s account of Jesus, we could look up with wonder, push our chair away from the Bible on top of a table, thinking “Should God create more and better wine for a group that’s already tipsy?” Or “Yeah, God! More wine, and the good stuff too!” Or even, “Who is God anyway?”
Beyond these, God points out that this is “the first display of Jesus’ glory.” This is the first place the Book of John displays God in human flesh, painting an image of God’s preferred reality on earth. This text invites us to lean in, straining to hear who God is, the only one who can change one thing into something different, water into wine. This miraculous sign (v. 11) is different from almost all of Jesus’ other miracles where something is improved: a lame person walks; a person’s shriveled hand begins to write.
Only one other miracle in John describes one thing changed into another. It’s at the end of his gospel, when God brings the dead Jesus back to life! Again, after reading that text we look up in wonder, this time saying only God can bring something dead back to new and more abundant life! Only God can jump into Jesus’ body to raise him from the dead, only God can jump into an old water jar and turn it into the best wine. And now for us today: Only God can jump into my life and raise me from the dead to new and more abundant life!
God: Father, Son and Spirit, I look up to you today in wonder. Thanks for breathing your life into the dead parts of my life and finding me friends for the journey of death and resurrection in your world today!
Dialog discuss: People started clamoring around Jesus initially because He was healing people, and when they got close enough, they began to hear His message: “The Kingdom of God is available right now.” Nancy Ortberg
I just figured out how to make a comment.( see my Feb 28th comment) You click on the black “o” in the upper right hand corner of the daily devotional….ok so I’m not very good at this computer stuff : 0 )