Imagine with me. You have all the power in the world and want to showcase it. What would you do first? I asked this to a group of kids and their answers ranged from world peace and feeding everyone, to jumping out of a plane with no parachute, or bringing a loved one back from the dead.
How about you? Would you rescue someone? Is there a moment in time you would change?
Jesus, the reported “son of God” faced the same question. He also faced the hatred of God-fearing/revering religious leaders (Pharisees) who considered the “son of God” stuff blasphemy. After all, if you’re the son of God, you yourself must be “God” and thus all powerful (amongst other things). (And now we can all call ourselves sons and daughters of God..).
So how did Jesus demonstrate this power? Of all the things we could imagine, party promoter wasn’t one of them. Yes, rid the world of hunger. Yes, break into darkness and set captives free. But bust out wine when the stash runs dry? What was God thinking?! Don’t be mistaken–those other noble acts I mentioned (and more) are ALL on God’s Heart. Worse, somehow Jesus had to get through every day knowing every pain in the world and wanting to right it. But there’s a time for everything (right?) And part of what’s happening on earth is the working out of our Freedom…
So back to Wine: This miracle exposes a God that comes alongside us and cares about the little things. Yes, there are great troubles on earth, but at that wedding, at that moment, running out of wine was the great problem.
This miracle wasn’t flashy like raising someone from the dead, and it went widely unnoticed except by his mom and the servants who drew the water, but this debut demonstration of power showcases something other than power: humility and genuine care. In Cana we got a taste that God is an honest-to-God Friend.
This is the first of a ‘series’ running till Election Day on #GodsOneLines, that is, single verses from the bible. Single verses have been used to beat, kill, oppress and destroy the lives of countless people and even creation. I want to use them for good, to encourage, to break down lies and point to a Light and Love that is quite frankly Divine. Wanna join?
*The story about the wedding in Cana is found in John 2 (Bible)
