A crisis arose on the third day at a wedding that took place at Cana: the wine had given out. Whether the crisis was due to excess demand or limited supply is anyone’s guess. The problem is reported to Jesus and He goes on to provide a solution which happens to be His first miracle. The wine had given out. There was no wine left. What does that mean? It means that wine skins were all empty.
So the problem is reported to Jesus and He suggests a solution:
“Fill the stone jars with water.”
Perhaps Jesus didn't quite register the problem. The problem you see, is not that the water jars are empty - the wine skins are empty!
“Fill the stone jars with water”
What do you do when you talk to God about empty wine skins and He starts talking to you about filling water jars? Your heart says “God is in control” but your mind cannot help but wonder where all this is leading. You even wonder if God is ignoring your empty wine skins. “Maybe I went wrong somewhere” “Maybe I am not praying enough” “Maybe it is not God’s will”
Imagine with me for a moment that I am at that wedding that day. I go across to the servants who have been appointed to work on a solution to solve this particular crisis.
“So what are you doing to replenish the wine? We need a solution real fast!”
“We’re filling stone jars with water”
“I beg your pardon?”
“We’re right now in the process of filling about 6 stone water jars which carry 20 or 30 gallons each with water”
“Are you out of your mind? And how is that going to replenish the wine?”
“Well, to be frank, we don’t know”
“We have a crisis on our hands here and you intend to revert it by filling stone jars with around 600 litres of water???”
"Well for now, this is all we've got from Jesus: 'Fill the stone jars with water'”
“Look it’s good that you trust Jesus to work on your behalf. But while you’re at it, filling those jars away with water, shouldn’t you perhaps send some people out to see if they can get some wine from somewhere? You know, it’s going to take a while to draw around 600 litres of water and fill those jars. Meanwhile, you should try and get some wine from somewhere and so you can serve the guests while Jesus works on His solution. You know, have a Plan B, just in case Plan A doesn't work”
“Fill the stone jars with water”
The servants filled the jars to the brim. Jesus did not speak a single word till then. Well if Jesus knew that He was going to make the water into wine, why didn’t He do that as soon as the servants started filling water? A few servants could keep filling water into those jars while others could draw the water that has now become wine and serve it to the guests. That would eliminate a lot of delay! (And not to mention embarrassment for the bridegroom's family)
“Fill the stone jars with water”
Your obedience today may not seem like a pathway to your breakthrough. You may wonder how this path you take today will ever lead you to your miracle. Do not lose heart. Trust the process and you will be surprised at how God can do exceedingly, abundantly more than you can ever ask or imagine. We serve a God who knows the end from the beginning.
Jesus was destined to be King forever. He was ridiculed and spat upon. How would that propel Him to be King? He was stripped and then beaten with whips. What's the connection between His destiny and His bruised back? He was executed like a criminal – hung on a cross between two thieves. How does that fit into the résumé of someone who was destined to be King? He died and they sealed His body in a tomb. How can someone shut up in a tomb reign forever as King? News began to spread that it has now been two days since the corpse of Jesus who was destined to be King has been lying in a tomb, behind a large stone, the Roman seal and guarded by soldiers.
As the audience were anticipating “THE END” to come up on the screen, something happened on the third day…
Trust the process.
"On the third day, there was a wedding…" (John 2:1)
