When Jesus changes water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee according to John 2:1-11, our focus is on the miracle of changing one substance into another, and rightfully so. But why did he perform the miracle? Was he drug into public ministry by his mother before he was ready?
We know that Mary, Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding feast. This could have been some relative, most certainly friends of Mary. The close knit community of Cana would have insisted that the entire community would be invited.
Not providing enough food and certainly not having enough wine would be a social disgrace. In closely knit communities of Jesus’ day an error like this would have followed the newly married couple all their lives. Wine was a rabbinic symbol of joy. Running out of wine would have suggested the guests, the bride and groom were not happy people.
Consider How a Jewish wedding took place:
The prospective groom's father first approached the girl's father with the proposal of marriage. If the girl's father agreed to the suggested dowry, the two men sealed the agreement with a toast of wine. The prospective groom proclaimed his love and asked his love to marry him. If she accepted his proposal the agreement was validated by the presentation of a gift, usually a ring, he said to his intended bride, "Behold you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel."
Arrangements were made right then concerning the terms of the marriage. A written contract listed the time, place, and size of the wedding as well as recording the dowry and terms of maintenance of the marriage.
The typical Jewish wedding took place at night. As soon as any members of the wedding spotted the moving torches signaling the groom's approach, their cry echoed through the streets, "The bridegroom is coming." The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia tells us, "Mirth and gladness announced their approach to townspeople waiting in houses along the route to the bride's house." Upon hearing the announcement, the excited bride would drop everything in order to slip into her wedding dress and complete her final personal preparations for marriage.
Instead of the groom entering the bride's house, the bride came out to meet him. The two, accompanied by their wedding party, returned together to the groom's house for the marriage ceremony. Following the public ceremony, the newlyweds entered their bridal chamber to be intimate with each other for the first time. After this union, the groom came out and announced to the wedding guests, "Our marriage is consummated."
Receiving the glad news, the wedding party began a "festive" seven-day celebration. The celebration lasted seven days only if this was the first marriage of a virgin girl. The bride and the groom stayed with each other in seclusion. At the end of this time of privacy for those seven days, the groom would present his unveiled bride to everyone in attendance. The newlyweds then joined in the wedding feast with the guests.
So consider the heart of a loving God:
Mary missed out on all the fan fare and attention of what would take place for a young Jewish girl, who no doubt dreampt of her own wedding. The honor and all the expectancy of a traditional wedding ceremony, all that a wedding ceremony meant as a believer in God. Mary was honored to accept the call of God on her life. But now at the wedding ceremony of a friend, all the memories of excitement, anticipation, joy, fear, and love had to rush into her heart and mind. Then the feeling of lost dreams, what could have been. What every little Jewish girl watched and dreamed of one day for her own life. Joseph now gone she was alone with no covering of a husband. No fond memories of that great day shared by a husband and wife.
God is a healer of our deep wounds with a touch of his hand. Sometimes he chooses to do something more for us that causes us to understand his love in ways that will speak to the deepest unspoken areas of our hearts that hurt beyond words.
No wine for her young friend! Mary knew the shame that would come, the thoughts and the looks this young girl and her young husband would have to endure the rest of their lives. Mary felt the horror and feared the worst.
Mary looks at her son, knowing who he is and that he was capable to take care of what was necessary, she says "there is no more wine!" Jesus told her very sternly, “woman, why are you dragging me into this, it’s not my time yet.”
Jesus performs this miracle for Mary. To touch the heart of Mary and to cause her to know that he knows she missed out on her childhood dream.
I don’t want to miss the heart of God. He cares about lost dreams, and missed opportunities. Sometimes what look like the small things are the larger things and he knows that. I want to slow down and find God’s heart in why he did the things he did, not just that he did them.
He is there at all times, he sees our hearts in all things and he is able to touch us when and where we need him to touch us.
The thought of this moves me to greater trust in him.
Thank you my brother Dale Brockett for dropping this in my heart. You are an amazing gift from God.
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