It’s the baffling, head-scratching miracle.
The “why this one?” miracle.
At the request of his mother, Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding reception. His very first miracle!
Not a lame man being healed. Nor a blind man receiving sight. Not a leper being made whole. No, this miracle, his first miracle, is turning water into wine. No one would suffer if the flow of wine stopped except perhaps the bridegroom from momentary embarrassment.
So don’t you agree that it seems strange that this would be the first miracle Jesus performed?Every time I would read the account of this miracle, I wondered why it was even documented in the Scriptures.
But often, from what is at first baffling to us God teaches powerful lessons. Recently as I read John 2 once again, I was stopped by a truth central to this miracle: Jesus didn’t just turn water into wine; he turned water in fine wine. The wine was so fine that the banquet master was stunned by its quality.
Suddenly I saw in this miracle what I had never realized before. This first miracle foreshadows the transforming work Jesus does for us! He can transform our ordinary, mundane lives into extraordinary, remarkable lives. But in order for that to happen, we have to heed the words of instruction Mary gave the servants at that wedding banquet.
“Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:11 NLT)
The servants obeyed. They followed the instructions Jesus gave them. And, the water they poured into the large jars was miraculously turned into fine wine.
For our lives to be transformed, we too have to do what Jesus tells us to do. We have to be obedient to His words of instruction given to us in the Scriptures. We have to live the truths and values of our faith. Because when we do, Jesus can perform his first miracle in our lives; he can take the “average” and transform it into excellence. He can still turn water into fine wine!
For those reading “A Hand On My Shoulder,” I have posted the last three chapters of M.D. Beall’s memoir. God placed His Hand on a young girl in the UP in the early years of the 20th Century and took her on a journey of faith that continues to encourage us today. Indeed, God transformed her life: he turned “water” into “fine wine!” Although M.D. Beall finished writing about her life of faith in the 1950’s, God continued to place His Hand on her shoulder until a September day in 1979 when she went into the presence of the Lord.
If Mom Beall, as many called her, touched your life, I would like to invite you to share your experience by leaving a reply (click on “Leave a response”). How wonderful it would be to read how her story continues in the lives of believers today.
Joy Gruits is a Christian educator, speaker, and writer. Her passion is to share a Biblical truths that challenge and motivate people to become devoted followers of Christ who fulfill God's divine purpose for their lives.
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Mom Beall was so much more than a mentor, preacher, a mother. Because of her conviction in Jesus Christ and led by the Holy Spirit (she did HEAR FROM GOD) she, as a Shepard did lead, guide, mentor and preserved me by the WORD of GOD and excelled with the Holy Spirit.
If it had not been for her hearing ear, and delivering what she knew God was speaking to her (experiencing it first hand), I have no doubt, my living would have been just existing only.
She taught the very LIVING WORD of God. And that WORD does accomplish in our lives as we allow the Holy Spirit to move in our physical realm.
I still can hear many of the messages she spoke that has sustained me these many years. Jesus Christ is more real to me than what my physical eyes can see!
I will ever be grateful, thankful, appreciative for this mighty, powerful servant of Jesus Christ. There has never been another that could fill her shoes.
So true!
Pastor MD Beall is my paternal grandmother. She is my dear Granny, and while we both laid on her bed, she taught me long division. I will always remember our tea parties and her braiding my hair as we watched “The Lawrence Welk Show” and “Sing Along with Mitch”. She was an extraordinary person, and one with whom I shared details – of the sordid variety – of my young life with no fear of judgment, recrimination, or alienation. Granny is never a day out of our conversation or memory, and remains much loved by her family.