“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.’”
– John 2:7-10
Jesus’ first miracle was to turn water into wine at a wedding where they ran out of wine. Although alcoholism and drunkenness is not of God, wine is meant to invoke this idea of plenty, of celebration, of weddings, of dancing, of singing and merriment and holidays. That’s what the reader is supposed to see when they see wine — that’s why He doesn’t choose some other fruit or tree. He chooses a vine for a reason. Why does He want you to abide in Him? So that you’ll be full of joy! Full of life! That smiling will come naturally. That even though the world is going nuts — everybody’s angry and fighting — you will have the ability to abide in the vine and bear fruit. Even in this world, you will be able to spread joy, compassion, kindness, even to the people disagree with you or are offensive to you. All you will do is bear fruit, and the fruit is joy and love. You’re just bearing it. It doesn’t come from trying harder and it doesn’t come from exhausting yourself or from willpower, it comes from being rooted in Him, an ongoing communion with heaven. |
Prayer
Thank you, Jesus, for your miracles. You can take whatever hurt and darkness we have, and you can bear fruit. I thank you for the joy and the life that you spread.
Reflection
How can you abide in God?
One Response
Amen.