John 2:1-4 --- The Wedding at Cana --- 1 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.”
Moving into chapter two of John, brings us to a wedding and water being turned into wine, however it starts with an interaction between Jesus and His mother, Mary.
Mary comes to Jesus and notifies Him of a problem. "They have no wine.". During this time, it was not just rude to run out of food or wine for your guests, it was socially and even sometimes legally a major blunder. Not only would the newly married couple be maligned socially by this oversight, at that time it was possible to be fined for it. They took parties serious back then!
It's unimportant but interesting to think about why Mary even knew this. Maybe she was close to the bride or groom. Maybe she was helping serve. Either way she was aware of a potentially large mistake that would cost this couple socially and even legally. Look what Mary did when learning of an embarrassing mistake or oversight of someone else….
She took it straight to Jesus! Amen!
How many times do we learn of or see another's mistake, minor or major, and either just sit silently on it, tell others about it, or take matters into our own hands to fix or worry over it. Where our first, instant, reaction should be to run to Jesus with it?
We tend to make prayer the last thing on the list, when it should always, in every situation be the FIRST thing we do. We like to take hold of ours and others' problems and try to fix or play around with them. It's just so easy to find yourself muddling through issues, all the while Holy Spirit is saying, "Ever heard of this neat thing called prayer?".
Then even when we do move into prayer, many times we find ourselves frustrated because we don't see an immediate change, immediate healing, immediate removal from the storm.
For over a year now I have lived my life and led my family every single day with Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matthew 6:34 as guideposts. Now of course with the whole Word (Old & New) and tons of prayer and so on, but these verses have been the daily guide to help me focus on Him no matter the circumstances and walk through each day. Then to plan but not worry about tomorrow.
Proverbs 3:5-6 --- 5 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth.
Matthew 6:34 --- 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
The reason I mention this is because many times as Christians when we do finally start praying, bringing it to him, there can still be some frustration. We trust God, we acknowledge Him, but we struggle greatly with not leaning on our understanding.
We get a problem, a car breaks down, a child is sick, someone falls into sin, a job is lost, and we immediately put our hands on it and try to fix it. We pour blood, sweat, and tears into trying to work it out. We stress over it. We think it to death. We run to other people and tell them about it. We ask for advice. Then we get increasingly frustrated because we prayed, we trust God in it, we acknowledge Him, but nothing seems to be changing. Why?
I've learned many times it's because I trusted Him, I acknowledged Him, but never stopped leaning on my understanding of how it would all work out, what it would look like, what the plan was. It's not until I put things in proper order that I can truly expect to see the promise at the end of that verse. Trust, LEAN NOT ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING, Acknowledge God in all ways, THEN He will make straight the path. The path isn't always easy, but you'll know the next step will be straight for you in that day, in that problem.
Well rambled from Wedding to wine, telling others to telling Jesus, from muddling through to giving it to Him, and from leaning to walking straight. To tie it all together.
Take it to Jesus. Trust Him. Stop worrying and leaning on how you think it will or should work out. Acknowledge Him in everything, intimately involve Him in every bit of it! Then ask Him to show you the next step in that day on the straight path He's promised.
Well, that's it for today. Get into the Word and read this for yourself. You don't have to take my word for any of it, let God show you and speak to you directly!
If you need prayer, to talk, or just someone to listen, please reach out. You are not alone! You are loved and you are prayed over this day.
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