A Reflection on The Wedding at Cana

My friend Molly sent me a text the other day. She was reading the Wedding at Cana. She pointed out how much faith the servants had to have to fill the jars with water. She said, "I was praying and thinking about how if I were a servant, I would hesitate to fill up the jars all the way because what if Jesus didn't turn the water into wine and I had to carry those all of the way back, and nothing had happened."

I went back and read this passage. I've never taken the time to notice the servants so closely.

"Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim." John 2:1-12

Molly helped me imagine how heavy these jars would be. It says that they hold 20-30 gallons. Honestly, it would be embarrassing to carry these across a wedding feast. It would be so much easier to fill them up halfway. But no, it reads that they "filled them up to the brim."

I imagine that if I was in this situation I would be asking questions like: What if Jesus doesn't do what He says? What if I get embarrassed? Will Jesus actually respond to our need for wine at this feast? Wow, these jars are going to be heavy. Is Jesus sure? Are we sure of Him? What are we doing?

You probably know the end of the story, Jesus turned it all into wine, and He saved the best for last. They were blessed with abundance because of their agreement and faith that abundance would be granted.

To fill the jars to the brim is such an act of hope.

To fill the jars in generosity. To fill the jars in my work. To fill the jars in my community. To fill the jars on my calendar. To fill the jars in my creativity. To fill the jars in prayer.

I often don't take up abundance because I'm worried about my own capacity. What if I can't carry all of it? What if I end up failing? What if my prayer doesn't get answered?

But – what if I trust Jesus instead of myself?

I pray we have the faith to fill the jars and trust that He will turn our water, into wine.

Let's live in expectation of the miraculous.

Fill it to the brim.

Love,

Caroline