MIDWEEK MEDITATION
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 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.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.
John 2:1-12
It must have hurt.
Mary came to Jesus expecting him to do something about a wedding that was on the brink of social embarrassment. Maybe she had an expectation that Jesus wouldn't hesitate to help at His mother’s request. She certainly didn’t expect His response.
““Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.””
It was abrupt. It was distancing. It was confusing. Why is He pulling back? What does He mean by His “hour”? All of these questions must have been swirling through Mary’s mind. Mary had come to Jesus as a mother; she would leave as a disciple.
Mary told the servants, ““Do whatever he tells you.””
When she couldn’t understand His actions, she chose to trust His heart, and her faith was honored.
The above and beyond, over the top, to the brim response of Jesus at the wedding shows us that He is generous. What Mary learned, and what we all must learn, is that Jesus is generous in His own time. Mary beautifully displays the heart of a disciple: when she didn’t understand His actions, she chose to trust His heart and believed that obeying whatever He said to do would lead to good things.
When I am feeling hurt, distant, or confused by Your work in my life, give me grace to trust Your heart. Teach me today to see that You are generous beyond measure and You will work in Your own time.
Today I chose to trust and obey.