Water and Whining

I was reading John 2 yesterday, doing my usual catch up. (I have joined with a few cyber pals in reading the Bible in a year - I never make my daily quota) there are some stories that are so familiar to me that I hate do admit it, but I get bored reading them yet again! I know that you can get new revelation each and every time, but there is an initial sigh. I read through John 2 sighing heavily - Jesus turning water into wine. I know the story, I have heard it preached numerous times.

The Holy Spirit brought me up sharp and I went back to the start, praying I would see something not just new, but something that spoke into my life right now.

My first thought was about running out of resources. With Jesus and his disciples - extra mouths to feed - the bridegroom just didn't have enough wine. He hadn't planned for them to be there. If ever there has been a time when I have run out of resources, it has to be these last couple of weeks. The resources that I usually collected each day in my quiet times, because I have been busy every morning making breakfast, plaiting hair and picking fights - there hasn't been quiet times happening. Often I am heading off to school without my armour in place because I haven't had time to put it on. I have tried to catch up on an evening - but there are interruptions. My usual devotions have just gone to pot and I am running out of resources.

My next thought was about Jesus' abundant resources. Six jars of water, that each held thirty gallons - that makes one hundred and eighty gallons of water. Now if each of those jars of water are not water any longer but wine - that is a lot of wine. The bridegroom can easily meet the needs of his guest many times over. Jesus didn't just fill one jar of water but six. That speaks to me of the abundance of resources he provides.

The next thought was that the wine Jesus provided was not average or common, but the best. Jesus' resources are not just "good enough". They were getting to the end of the celebration but rather than the quality deteriorating as the evening came to a close - it got better! Jesus provides and abundant supply of the very best of resources.

My final thought was - "How do I unlock those resources?" I am running dry and I am in need of refreshment - how do I get my hands on one of those jars? The answer is that I don't unlock anything - Jesus gives and I go to him and I ask and I receive.

I do the going part well and the asking part too - but sometimes I do not wait patiently enough to do the receiving, or he is holding out the wine and I am looking the other way.

One of the last huge growth spurts of my Christian life was when Shannon and Patrick stayed with us last summer. I think they just may be the prompt for another growth spurt!