Pause for thought
As we pause today, we join with the praise of all God's people in these words from Psalm 20.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.
(Psalms 23:1-3)
Bible Reading: John 2:1-5
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.
Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
"Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
A Reflection:
The wedding feast in Cana in Galilee was the setting for the first of the miracles that Jesus performed as he started his ministry. Before we look at the miracle itself, let us look at the events that led up to it.
As well as a transition for Jesus as he goes from carpenter to itinerant preacher and healer, there also seems to be a transition in his relationship with his mother.
How have you coped with the transition in relationships in your family; changes that take place as you age, as your children age, as your parents age? Transitions can cause tensions; Jesus understands this, he has been there. Can you bring those times, past, present and future, to Jesus now and seek his grace?
The wedding reception has run out of wine. Mary, who seems to be in a place of influence, comes to Jesus and says simply, ‘They have no more wine.’
Prayer can sometimes be just bringing the problem to Jesus in humility, and trusting him to do what is right, rather than stating what we would like to happen. If there are things that concern you today, can you simply bring them to Jesus and trust him to do what is best?
Mary then turns to the servants at the reception and says, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Jesus was going to perform a miracle, but to do this he would require the servants to do as he said, however strange that might seem. This is essentially a description of ‘faith’, hearing God and doing what he says. It is this faith that paves the way for Jesus to work miracles in our lives that will go above and beyond anything we can achieve on our own.
Pray:
Lord Jesus, give me the grace to hear what you say and the faith to respond in obedience.
Amen
What a friend we have in Jesus