Water, Wine and Wonder: Triplets of Transition

 

Water, Wine and Wonder: Triplets of Transition

Photo by Nyehob 2016

Scripture records three incidents reflecting the transitions Mary had to make as Jesus grew up and entered His earthly ministry. The first was Jesus staying behind at the temple in Jerusalem to do His Father’s business (Luke 2:41-52); the second was the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-13), and the third occurred when Mary and her other children came to visit Jesus (Mark 3: 31-35) while He was teaching and preaching.

The wedding at Cana occurred on the third day after Jesus had gathered His apostles together. Essentially, it was the “debut” of His earthly ministry and the first time Jesus, His mother, and His disciples appeared together at a public event (John 1:37-51; 2:1-3).

A marriage celebration is an appropriate setting for the Messiah in His new role. It reminds us that He is the Creator Who designed man and woman to unite as one flesh (Genesis 2:22-24; Matthew 19:6); it pictures the holy union of Christ and His bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:23-32); and it anticipates the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9). At that ultimate feast, all believers saved by their faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6) will begin eternity with Him in their glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

I wonder if Mary suspected beforehand that her Son’s miraculous power would be revealed at this public gathering, or if she just came to Him spontaneously hoping He could intervene in an awkward situation. A Hebrew wedding celebration at the time often went on for days, accompanied by feasting, drinking, and dancing by loved ones who had traveled from all over to honor the new couple beginning their life together.

But the host at this wedding was about to be humiliated, for they had run out of wine. Mary came to Jesus and did not cajole or order Him to help, but instead just stated the problem: “They have no wine” (John 2:3).

Mary’s approach to her Lord is a great model for our prayer life, for too often we plead like petulant children hoping to get our way (James 4:3), or even worse, order God to “fix it” according to what our limited understanding seems to be the best solution (Isaiah 55:9). Instead, we should bring our requests to Him simply stated (Matthew 6:7), thanking Him in advance (Philippians 4:6), and trusting that He will answer our prayer in the best way possible (Matthew 6:8; Romans 8:28), according to His infinite love (1 John 4:8), wisdom (Psalm 139:6), and power (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17,27).

But Jesus reminded Mary that God’s timing is always perfect, that He will not be rushed to meet the demands of our schedule (Ephesians 1:10), and that we must trust Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). He rebuked her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come (John 2:4). His response suggests that He would follow His Father’s lead (Ephesians 5:1-2), not that of His mother or anyone else, and wait upon Him (Psalm 27:14; 33:20), acting only when He received clear indications from His Father (Psalm 46:10). Again, a great example for all of us.

Did Mary attempt to exert her parental authority (Exodus 20:12; Luke 2:51) by ordering Him to help, “guilt” her Son into rescuing the situation, or question His power (Job 4:17; 5:1), doubting whether He could even be of any assistance? No, she handled the confrontation with deference to His will (Luke 22:42), tact in resisting the urge to argue (Proverbs 15:1), and recruitment of aid from the servants, whom she told to obey Jesus in whatever He asked of them (John 2:5).

May we learn from Mary that when we approach our Lord to make our requests known (Hebrews 4:16), we should defer to His perfect solution, wait peacefully for Him to move, and encourage others involved in the situation to also follow His command. As we await His answer, may we have faith that His ways are best (Hebrews 11:6), patience, knowing that His timing is perfect (James 1:2-8), and obedience to His perfect Word (1 Samuel 15:22; Romans 6:16; 2 Corinthians 10:5-6).

Jesus gave simple instructions to the servants, and they obeyed without question, even though His commands defied all logic. He told them to fill six waterpots, to draw from the pots, and to present it to the host (John 2:6-8). If they presented only water that had not been transformed to wine, the guests would have been insulted, the host would have been humiliated, and the servants would have been punished or even put to death.

But praise God, He had changed water into wine! He saved the day for the host, who most likely was unaware that Jesus was involved, only that this was the very best wine of the day, implying that it was fresh grape juice and not fermented (John 2:9-10). He pleased His mother, giving her reason for great joy, making her proud, and no doubt filling her with wonder at His Divine power, only now beginning to be revealed (Matthew 15:31; Mark 6:51; Luke 2:18; 4:22; 8:25; 24:12,41).

Most important, He had performed a great miracle!  Other Scripture terms for “miracles” are “signs” and “wonders” (Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 6:22; Acts 2:22). The waterpots that had been used for ritual purification were now filled with new wine, symbolizing the precious blood Christ would shed to pay for all our sins (Romans 3:25), the power of His blood to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7), and the new covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 12:24) that gives eternal life to all who trust Him! This miracle therefore marked the transition from adherence to the law for salvation, which is impossible, to salvation by God's grace.

The miracle was the first of many Jesus did, showing His Divine glory, and reinforcing His disciples’ faith in Him (John 2:11). In remembering this miracle, may we allow His living water (John 7:38) to flow through us, trust in the power of His blood represented by fruit of the vine, and be filled with wonder at His mercy, love and grace!

© 2016 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

A Liquid Investment

 

 

Photo by Zaynabazam7 2018

In a dream I had recently, I have an IRA account through American Express. I need to determine the asset allocation of the account, so I ask my son, who is a banking executive, if I should choose Stocks, Bonds, or Liquid Investment. He says stocks and bonds are risky right now, so I should choose Liquid Investment. I do that and expect to get a statement by mail or email, but instead I get a package delivered that contains a huge jar of Manuka honey!

In contemplating the meaning of the dream, I realized that choosing our investments must be done wisely, not only in terms of finances, but in terms of how to allocate our time, talents, mental and physical energy, and priorities. A liquid asset generally refers to cash, or to an asset that is easily converted to cash for immediate use because there is a constant demand for the asset, and because the price fluctuates little. It is therefore generally safer than stocks and bonds.

A liquid investment would therefore be one that can be used immediately for one’s benefit, or stored safely for future use with little or no risk of loss. So why, in the dream, did I receive a huge jar of Manuka honey?

To meet our healthy living and wellness goals, my husband and I have adopted a primarily Mediterranean diet, emphasizing fruit, vegetables, legumes and fish, with mostly white meat rather than red, and some dairy.  Interestingly, the diet is rich in foods that Jesus and others in Scripture ate or referred to favorably, including fish, eggs (Matthew 7:9-10), whole grains (John 6:35; Ruth 2:23), pomegranates and olive oil (Deuteronomy 8:8).

We also try to incorporate “superfoods” that are known to improve health and counteract aging and disease, like broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, bamboo shoots, and, yes, Manuka honey, which benefits immunity, digestive health, wound healing, and other health concerns! The Promised Land was described as flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8), clearly considered to be desirable and healthful foods.

Although Manuka honey is very expensive, how can one put a price on good health? As the saying goes, people often spend the first half of their life ruining their health to accumulate wealth, and the second half depleting their wealth to restore their poor health.

Scripture also warns us to take care of our body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We are to honor God in our body by refraining from sin (Romans 6:23); nurturing the flesh so that it can serve God longer and better (Ephesians 5:29; Romans 12:1); and by avoiding alcohol (Proverbs 20:1) and unhealthy food (Proverbs 23).  Yet physical exercise, while important to our health, is of less value than godliness, or spiritual exercise, which involves prayer and meditation on God’s Word (1 Timothy 4:8).

I therefore believe the dream also alludes to the importance of feeding on Scripture. God’s judgments, or laws, are described as more to be desired than much fine gold, and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10). God’s words are sweet to the taste, and sweeter than honey to the mouth (Psalm 119:103), just as pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones (Proverbs 16:24).

So it appears that the dream was a reminder to value God and His Word above all else, and to trust Him and not in uncertain riches (1 Timothy 6:17). We are to lay up our treasures in Heaven, where they will reap eternal rewards, ever increasing in value and never stolen, ruined, or useless (Matthew 6:20). Those who trust in their material wealth have no power to redeem another soul –only God can do that (Psalm 49:6-15).

This interpretation was confirmed by a devotional that was part of our reading on the morning after the dream, which was entitled “A Ludicrous Investment.” It referenced Jeremiah’s purchase of the field at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin – an investment that seemed ludicrous because the country was at war and the land was being ransacked. Yet God, foreseeing the future restoration, commanded it, and Jeremiah obeyed, to the benefit of his people (Jeremiah 32:8-9).

In contrast, Jesus told the parable of the man who trusted in his own possessions to guarantee his future. He had accumulated so many material goods that he had no room to store them. Instead of giving away the excess to the poor, he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger barns so that he would have no need to work. He thought he would live comfortably and even party for many years, but God called him a fool for not realizing his soul would be required of him that very night, and then whose would his possessions be? (Luke 12:16-19)

Even worse, the implication is that he was unsaved and would spend eternity in hell.  We cannot give God and the world’s economic system the pre-eminence in our lives, and if we trust in the latter and put it first in our hearts, how can we be saved? (Matthew 6:24). The deceitfulness of riches will choke out God’s Word from growing in our heart (Matthew 13:22). Hence it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, but with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:21-26).

In my dream, the honey, or God’s Word, was referred to as a liquid investment – not only because honey is in the physical state of liquid, but because God’s Word has instantaneous as well as eternal benefits. Through it we can be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2), guided by its light, cleansed by the water of the washing of the Word (Ephesians 5:26), kept from sin (Psalm 119:11), and given comfort, hope, peace and joy!

One of the many Names of Jesus Christ is the Word (Revelation 19:13). As the Word, Jesus Christ created all that is, was and ever will be (John 1:1-3), and He became flesh to live with us (John 1:14); to die as the perfect, sinless sacrifice to pay our sin debt; and to rise again so that all who trust Him will have eternal life (John 3:16). What could possibly be of greater value than that?

Those who are not born again (John 3:3-8) by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way (John 14:6) to Heaven might consider time spent in God’s Word a foolish investment. But may we who are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) be like Jeremiah, following His Word and knowing that we shall always profit from its lessons, infallible Truth, comfort, cleansing, and power!   

© 2022 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Shoes

 

Image generated by AI

Recently I had a dream in which I was participating in a local talent show. My “talent” was a gymnastics act on the uneven bars, something I have never done in real life, and not something I would be likely to do well starting this late in life.

A small crowd had assembled in a meeting hall, and I was next up. My mother (who passed away 25 years ago) was in the audience. Just before I was to start, she asked, “Did you ever check to see what grade you got on your final history test in the 10^th grade?”

Startled by the inappropriate question, I mumbled incoherently that we would discuss it later. As I looked down at the uneven bars and tried to concentrate, I became distracted by looking down at my shoes. They were heavy, ugly, black, too large, and on the wrong foot!

But it would be difficult to remove these in time, as the music was about to start! Thankfully, my husband had trouble getting the track to play, and I used that time to slip out of these monstrosities that would no doubt weigh down my performance. The dream ended and I awakened before I ever had the opportunity to test my skills, or lack thereof, at gymnastics.

The next day my husband and I met with someone whom we had hoped might be helpful to our new church plant, New Life Bible Church Tampa. Much to my dismay, he was wearing shoes similar to those that had weighed me down in the dream, and his foot position while walking made it appear that his shoes were on the wrong foot! I took this as a confirmation of other indications that he would not be a good fit for our ministry, which proved accurate.

A few nights later, I again had a dream about shoes. This time my husband and I were to perform a ballroom dance in the American Smooth style. I was dressed and thought I was ready, until I realized that I hadn’t yet put on my dance shoes, and we were up next. In a panic, I rummaged through my duffel bag, retrieving every pair of shoes but the right one. I found hiking shoes, sneakers, ballet slippers, but no closed-toe high-heeled pumps needed for this type of dance.

As I awoke in a sweat and pondered the meaning of the dreams, the uneven bars in the first dream likely represent the challenges of life, particularly of a new ministry, that may upset our balance. Just as I have never been trained in gymnastics, I have no hands-on experience in church planting. And yet my years of dance training, particularly in partnership dancing involving overhead lifts, would be a solid foundation for learning gymnastics, should I so desire (Spoiler Alert: I don’t!).

Similarly, although my husband are led to plant a church, which we have never done before, in this later season of life, we can see the hand of God in how He prepared us with relevant experience, training, and resources to accomplish this mission through His grace, provision, power and wisdom (Philippians 4:19). Without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5), but with Him, all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26). His grace is sufficient, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

My mother’s strange question in the dream, about whether I had ever checked the grade I received in my final history exam in the 10^th grade, may be a reminder to remember and learn from our personal history from long ago (Psalm 100:5; Deuteronomy 7:9). When we look back, we can see how God has shaped and molded us according to the plan He has had for us since before the beginning of time (Jeremiah 29:11; 33:3; Ephesians 2:10).

Years of Bible study and teaching, faithfully listening to God’s Word, supporting missions, writing this blog, serving in churches in music and in other ministries are all clearly helpful for church planting, and we thank God for this experience. Less obvious advantages are the skills and opportunities he gave Richard and me in building maintenance, public speaking, administration, writing, online communications, and even hosting parties, graphic arts design, interior decorating, and flower arranging!

Yet there are challenges and obstacles in any new endeavor. The clunky shoes in the first dream reminded me of the admonition to remove the weights that can so easily encumber us as we run the race that God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1-2). While overt, unconfessed sin can destroy any ministry, as it removes us from fellowship with God, Who is our power source, unrelinquished weights can also throw us off course (Isaiah 59:2).

The demands of church planting constantly remind me to keep my eyes on Jesus, Who alone can direct our paths to accomplish His will (Proverbs 3:5-6). Other interests and trivial pursuits, while not evil in themselves, can become a distraction or weight that keeps us from optimal fruitfulness. Ugly shoes would detract from a polished gymnastics routine, and the extra weight could result in slower speed, a misstep or even a fall. The darkness of sin would ruin our testimony, and meaningless pursuits, even idle chatter, could sap valuable energy and time from the ministry God has appointed to us (Matthew 12:36).

In the first dream, my shoes were on the wrong foot, and in the second dream, I could find no suitable shoes at all. While different forms of sport and dance each demand a different type of footwear for optimal performance, Scripture tells us to put on the same footwear daily, along with the rest of the armor of God. We are to have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15).

What is that Gospel? That Jesus, Son of God and God Himself, was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day, so that all who trust Him would have eternal life. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 3:16).

No matter what specific ministry God has entrusted to us, we should prepare for it daily by remembering why we are here – to stand firmly on the foundation of the Gospel, which protects us from the thorns of sin and evil that would otherwise pierce us in our most vulnerable areas, represented by the feet. It is the Gospel of peace that reconciles sinful man to Holy God (2 Corinthians 5:18), and it is our mission to spread that Gospel wherever God’s path leads us (Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus told His disciples to take only the bare minimum of clothing, one staff, no bread or money, and to be shod only with one pair of sandals as they spread His Word from village to village (Luke 10:4; Mark 6:8). Truly, having our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace is the only footwear His ambassadors will ever need!  (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Because of that footwear, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7).

May we always have our feet shod with the Gospel of the preparation of peace and walk or run with that truth to share it wherever God leads us!

Copyright Laurie Collett 2026