S92P8 – God’s miraculous provision: water to wine
John 2:7-10
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 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 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.”
When I think of God meeting my needs, I normally do not think of wine. Food is one of those things which bears cultural significance to most people groups. In some cultures, it might not be such a big deal to run out of a certain food or drink during some festive occasion. In other cultures, that might be a cause for shame upon the host. Mary felt that the lack of wine at this wedding was a need which had to be met, and she had complete faith in her Son meeting that need. This request goes beyond the basics of food, clothing and shelter, but this was of great importance in this specific context. Jesus responded by telling her that his time had not yet come, but He still honored his mother by fulfilling her request and carrying out his first recorded miracle.
Jesus performed many miracles of provision, so it is interesting that the first one is this one. It makes us re-examine what we think of as a need. There was a proper way to conduct this wedding feast. It is apparent that something was overlooked along the way, and a lack of preparation led to them running out of wine. We might think today that this is not such a big deal. Perhaps some at that time also held that opinion. The point is that this mattered to Mary, and she cried out to the Lord for his help. There was something about her request in that place before those people that made Jesus decide this miracle was worth it. To me, it lets us know that God’s miraculous provision goes beyond the things we say should be necessities. God actually cares about those things which are important to us even if some think they are not needs.
The most interesting thing to me here is that the wine produced from the water was beyond the quality necessary. No one expected the best wine to be brought out at the end of the feast. You bring out the good wine first, and then when no one can tell the difference, you bring out the rest. The guests did not need the best wine, but that is what God provided to grab their attention. Sure, turning water into wine would be a big deal on its own, but turning it into more than what they could have hoped for grabbed them a little tighter. It is a testimony to the way God always brings his best provision. Father, thank You for caring about the things we care about even if some may think they are small, and thank You for always blessing us with your best.