HEARTS AND MIRACLES (1)

“And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine” – John 2:3    

Scriptures provide strong links between HEARTS and MIRACLES: “And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it” (Jh.2:3-5). Mary’s HEART and seemingly ordinary statements are loaded with revelation. The text narrates the beginning of signs. Jesus took an ordinary occasion, a wedding, as opportunity to manifest His Glory. The wine had finished and He worked a miracle to provide the wine and establish His Messiahship sign. This story, now as then, should challenge us to believe in the Lord, give Him Glory, and appreciate how His Heart responds to our needs and our hearts should respond to His.

This story was early in the ministry of Jesus. He had enlisted few disciples: Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and John (Jh.1:35-40). Jesus and His disciples accepted an invitation to a wedding celebration in Cana of Galilee, with His mother being in attendance. They made the journey from Judea to Cana which took perhaps two days. Mary was probably a friend of the family; at least close enough to get involved in the wedding administration. Like other gospel accounts, the events took place in rather ordinary circumstances, which led to a miracle. Jesus was simply engaged in life and met a need! Many of us face challenges daily that we think it will take a miracle to get us through.

Our Hearts can be Magnets for Miracles! The wedding celebrants’ hearts extended clear invitations to Jesus and His disciples. They didn’t intrude into the event uninvited. The Son of God is ever present to meet the needs of willing hearts at the point of their need, even on seemingly impromptu basis: In the office or marketplace, at home taking care of the children, while shopping for groceries, or on a trip. When needs arise, He is present. We do not have to set up a formal appointment to see Him. This is encouraging to us as needy people, but we must also learn from this for our ministries. As Gospel Ministers and soldiers of the Cross, we must be prepared, ready to meet the needs we may be confronted with at any time; and be prepared always to speak for Jesus or to interrupt a schedule to meet human needs.  

An interesting exchange between Jesus and His mother, Mary, revealed both their hearts (vv.3-5). She came to Him expressing an unexpected, but abnormal problem: The hosts were out of wine. Among the Jews, a marriage feast customarily lasted seven days; but here, for whatever reason, the wine ran out. This was a real problem, a social gaffe that could be the subject of jests for years. The host was responsible to provide his guests with adequate wine for seven days. Mary simply informed Jesus, “They have no wine.” His reply – a question and a comment – suggests that she expected Him to do something: “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” Calling her “woman” instead of “mother” didn’t offend Mary. Her compassionate, meek, motherly heart remained unhurt; and she knew He has a HEART to HELP, despite the query about timing!

Mary understood that Jesus was not saying He would do nothing. Her heart was so confident in His Helping Heart, that she was willing to leave the matter in His Hands, simply instructing the servants: “Whatever He says to you, do it” (v.5). That moment, the Miracle was signed, sealed, and delivered! While He initially appeared hesitant, Jesus went ahead and met the need: Transformed water into Wine! We should follow Mary’s example: Come to Jesus with every need, confident in our hearts that all things are in His hands. He determines when, why, and how He responds to our concerns. Miracles are born in Hearts, including Miracles of Restored Sweetness in life, and Enjoyment of the Best for the Last (vv.7-10).