From Water To Wine

With roughly a week until our nationally celebrated holiday of Thanksgiving, I’ve spent several days planning (in my head for now, at least) just how we’ll set our Thanksgiving table. Last year, I spent time heavily focusing on the centerpiece decor – twigs with faux berries and candlesticks dripping with melted wax felt rather fall-ish, and welcomed quite a few compliments. However, this Thanksgiving, the centerpieces will be “phrases of gratitude” highlighting all the great things God has done throughout this year – after all, gratefulness should be celebrated and praised, especially amongst the people who are praying with and for you.     

In light of this season, I couldn’t help but meditate on moments of celebration within the Bible where gratitude was expressed around a table. So many magnificent things begin around the table; after all, when people gather miracles are witnessed, ideas are shared, and reconnections (or new connections) take place. The Lord’s Supper (Matthew 14:12-26) and the Wedding in Cana (John 2:1-12) are two of several moments where preparing a table, in the midst of an unknown season, yielded miraculous depictions of God’s unfailing love. 

Weddings in biblical times were multi-stage events. The groom would pay a dowry or bride price, and the celebration would be a public affair with music, dancing, and feasting for days. So when Mary came to Jesus panicked by the dwindling wine and multitude of wedding celebrants, she was truly panicked! It would have been an embarrassment to the families, especially the groom’s, if they’d run out of wine or food. But Jesus performed his first miracle, turning a small amount of water into the best wine they’d ever had – and plenty to serve all who attended. The miracle took place for just a few spectators to see in private, but so many benefited from the act.   

As I continued to study this passage, I began to see the water as a symbol for: job loss, hunger, depression, homelessness, illness, sleep-deprivation, insecurity, low-self esteem, or whatever colorless, transparent, or just plain boring thing clinging to us daily, and masking itself as something that will never change.     

But as the passage declares, Jesus turned what seemed to be a dead end into wine. He took six stone water jars and had an infinite amount of wine for the wedding attendees, and left a lasting impression on the servants who witnessed this miracle. Meaning, if you know that Jesus is a miracle worker, your water has to turn to wine.       

The fact that wine takes time to truly settle into its delicacy means, once your water has turned into wine, not only will it taste sweeter, but it will continue to get better with time. You know the phrase: “Aging like fine wine?” That means, once Jesus transforms your water into wine, it will last and will serve others far beyond the conclusion of whatever circumstance is happening around you.       

For those needing encouragement this holiday season, just know your sustenance will not only come from the food you are eating, but from the gratitude you give and share with others around your figurative (or literal) table. There’s no coincidence Thanksgiving comes before the celebrated birth of Jesus – it’s because we have to give thanks BEFORE our miracle arrives.         

Your water will turn. For He never makes mistakes, and He’s always right on time. 

Happy Thanksgiving.