Joy

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come…“

John 2:1-4

Devotion

Weddings are joyful events! It is a magical time filled with love, laughter and promise. As  mother-of-the-bride, the experience is even more jubilant! My daughter was married last October. Only her birth trumped the delight I felt on her wedding day!

For this reason, I love that Jesus’s first miracle was at a wedding- a place of joy and celebration! So often when we think of his ministry we remember his compassion for the sick and suffering, and his miracles of healing. Jesus, we recall, is the Great Physician. But the miracle at Cana happened at a celebration. In a way, the miracle at the wedding of Cana set the stage for Christ’s ultimate mission on earth- to bring joy, and redemption to all humanity.

This miracle also speaks to our own spiritual transformation. Jesus came to create a new covenant with us, a promise based on love not law, a covenant written on our hearts, not on stone. By replacing water that was used for Jewish purification rituals with “the best wine,” Jesus shifts attention from rabbinic law to a new covenant of grace, one that thrives on a personal relationship in him. (Jer 31:31-33)

In our lives there will be suffering, no doubt; but through Christ, we know God’s grace and can rejoice in God’s glory. The miracle at the wedding of Cana reveals Jesus as our bridegroom rejoicing over the Church, just as God rejoices over us! (Isa 62:5) In Christ our path is known and joy overflows!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for the joy each new day brings. Help us to be ever mindful of your blessings, and in all circumstances help us to seek your good will and love for us. Amen.