John 2:1-12
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. If you haven’t read the Introduction to John’s Gospel, read it here.
Read John 2:1-12 imagining the sights and sounds in this scene.
Much has been written about the symbolism in this story, but one of the most striking aspects is the simplicity of it all.
It is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry – the third day - and though he has assembled a small group of disciples, he hasn’t yet done anything extraordinary to display his power. This first miracle is not motivated by a desire for fame but by the simple desire to please his mother - and it is witnessed only by a small group of servants. In comparison to the healings and miraculous feeding of crowds later in Jesus’ ministry, this semi-private miracle seems almost frivolous. But in Jesus’ humble response to his mother’s request, we see him transform the most ordinary stuff of life into something extraordinary.
Stop for a moment to contemplate the humility of Jesus in this story. How do Jesus’ simple actions and motivations differ from our natural human tendencies?
Read John 2:1-12 again and consider what the servants and the host thought or felt as a result of Jesus’ miraculous intervention.
In this story, Jesus obviously hasn’t sensed that the time is right for him to demonstrate the power of God within him. But Jesus is not rigid in his timeline.
We’ll hear Jesus say later in John’s Gospel that everything he does and says is directed by his Father, so he must sense God leading him through his mother.
How do you understand God’s guidance? How do you determine whether or not an inner prompting or an outside suggestion is from God? Take a moment to talk this over with Jesus.
Jesus’ humble but miraculous intervention saves the wedding host from certain humiliation though the host may not ever know what happened. What are the areas of need in your life today?
If Jesus was to intervene in your current circumstances, what do you expect it would look like? What if Jesus’ intervention was simpler or different than you expected? Is it possible that he has already intervened in ways you didn’t recognize at first? Talk to him about all of this for a moment.
As you end this time of meditation, take a few moments to thank Jesus for all the ways he has cared for you and guided you in your life. Then be silent for a moment and simply listen. If you sense Jesus nudging you toward an action, write it down and make a plan to follow through.
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