Photo by Marc Babin
By Mike Chaffin
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. John 2:1
How often have you gone to a wedding on a Tuesday? Pretty rare these days, but during the first century in Israel the traditional wedding lasted five to seven days.
Cana was a small town very near Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth. Mary, the mother of Jesus was present. Likely Mary was either in the wedding planning business or this was the wedding of a close family member as later we find her giving orders to the servants about the need for more wine.
Jesus and a few of his first disciples even came to the wedding. Although Jesus hasn’t started his public ministry, Mary knows Jesus is about to. John gives us the story of Jesus very first miracle and it starts with his mother calling him out.
3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” John 2:3-5
Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine. He told the servants to fill the foot washing water pots with water and then to take it to the wine steward. Either the servants had tremendous faith in Jesus, or they saw the color and odor change in the pots because the story doesn’t say they hesitated in the least. The wine steward tasted the wine and told the groom he had saved the best wine for last.
This miracle wasn’t publicized; Jesus used it to show his family and his first few disciples who He was.
This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and]manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. John 2:11
Jesus cares for us. He cares for the big and little things that go on in our life. He told us to ask and we shall receive. No issue is too small, or too big, to go to Jesus about.
Mary’s request wasn’t for her. She was just interceding for others who had a need. Intercessory prayer is a prayer lifted up for the needs of others. It is one way we practice mercy.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for showing us who you are through your miracles. You told your disciple Phillip we could believe and trust you through the miracles you performed. Thank you for your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
* There is a website that conducted a search for Bible verses. They compiled a list of the verses in order of the magnitude of hits they got in their search. Some of these verses probably qualify as ‘people’s favorites’, while others might be on the list because they are some of the most important and most teachable words of God.
