Daily Devotion – January 12, 2022 – Dr. Pat Taylor Ellison
John 2:1-11
2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2:2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
2:3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
2:4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”
2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
2:6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
2:7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
2:8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it.
2:9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom
2:10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
2:11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Jesus seems reluctant to do anything about the wedding family running out of wine. Mary tells him about it, knowing the shame it will bring on the family, but Jesus at first dismisses her request. Then he seems to change his mind, because he acts. Why does he change his mind?
Perhaps because he is like his heavenly father and is merciful, even to people who make mistakes that can have real consequences to those around them. Perhaps he sees the similarity between this little wedding feast and the heavenly banquet he speaks so often about in his teachings. Perhaps he just takes his mother’s good advice and does what she hopes he will do. Whatever reason prompts Jesus to do this miracle, the first of his signs, John says in this act he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
But let’s just rest in the sense, in this story, of scarcity turned to abundance. Jesus has turned a whole lot of water, gallons and gallons and gallons, into wine. As long as we are with Jesus and trust in him, we will be surrounded by abundance. We don’t have to worry about scarcity.
What a wonderful notion. God is so abundantly gracious to us that we need never fear.
Gracious God, Thank you for loving us. Help us to realize, when we are so prone to panicking about scarcity, that we live in the abundant grace of your beloved Son, Jesus. Amen.
