And the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” John 2:9-10
The story of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee is quite familiar to Bible readers. Many spiritual lessons can be drawn from that story. The most compelling lesson to me is that Jesus can turn sinners into saints. In Cana, Jesus turned ceremonially unclean water into precious wine. Likewise, He can transform us into a new creature with a heart for holiness.
The genesis for this miracle is that Jesus was invited to the wedding. We have to invite Christ into our lives so we can be transformed unto godliness. This invitation is done according to Romans 10:9. There would not have been any miracle at that wedding if Jesus was not invited. If we do not invite the Lord to lead and guide us we will remain captive to sin and out of fellowship with God.
Jesus should be invited to every area of our lives. He should not be restricted from anything. Whether it is our marriage, finances, health, entertainment, or business, Jesus should be at the center. Success and fruitfulness are only achievable when Jesus is invited and included. Without the presence of Christ, we are like a ship vacillating on the ocean without a rudder and a captain.
When Mary was told there was no more wine she went to Jesus because she had a relationship with Him and knew that her son can turn the ordinary into extraordinary. Once we invite Jesus into our lives and our affairs we must intentionally cultivate a relationship of obedience and loving union with Him. Giving our lives to Jesus is not a one-time act. It is a lifestyle of obedience grounded in faith and trust in God.
Mary said to the servant “do whatever he tells you,” because she had trust in the wondering working power of Jesus. She knew that nothing was impossible for Jesus. After living with her son for thirty years, she was confident that Jesus could step in to help.
Here is where most believers struggle. We invite Jesus into our lives and try our best to have a right relationship with Him. Yet we struggle to do whatever he tells us through His Holy Spirit. Without faith and trust in God, we will not see His glory. We have to trust that even when what we are asked to do is not convenient or promising, God can do more exceedingly and abundantly than we can ask or imagine.
When Jesus told the servants to fill the water jars with water, they did so because Mary told them to do it without questioning. I assume some of the servants thought that putting water into water jars was not going to solve the problem. After all, the jars were containers used for ceremonial washing. That means the water in those jars were dirty and unsanitary. How would such water help solve the wine crisis at the wedding? Yet, they did as they were instructed to do. Then they took some of the water from the jars to give to the master of the banquet to taste.
All of us are like jars of water at that wedding. We are spiritually unclean and unsanitary until we have an encounter with Jesus Christ. He alone can purify us and make us spiritually fit for kingdom service. Jesus fills us up with His Holy Spirit and sends us out in the world so they can see what was once an instrument of darkness is not reflecting the light of salvation through Christ Jesus.
I want to encourage you to invite Jesus into your affairs. Then do whatever He says for you to do. Next, step back and trust He will work everything out for your good. Jesus wants to turn our uncleanliness into perfection. He is waiting to fill our cups with precious wine from above. However, we must invite Him, be open to have a relationship with Him and obey His commands in His word. Then, let the celebration begin!
Questions for Personal Reflection
1- What is keeping you from inviting Jesus to become Lord of every area of your life?
2- What uncleanliness in your life do you need Jesus to turn into perfection?
Prayer- Dear Jesus, please help me to be sincere in my relationship with you. Fill me up with your Holy Spirit so I can be transformed into an instrument of righteousness for your glory.
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