Lord, Take Away My Need to Know

March 2, 2024

It is likely that you have read John 2:1-5. On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited with His disciples to the wedding. And when the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, They have no more wine! Jesus said to her, [Dear] woman, what is that to you and to Me? [What do we have in common? Leave it to Me.] My time (hour to act) has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it. A wedding is a time of celebration and a time of joy. During Jesus' time, a wedding symbolized a covenant, perhaps more so than in our current time. A wedding celebrated the joining of not only a man and a woman but of two families. It was a much anticipated event which required considerable preparation and planning to accommodate many guests. There would have been a lengthy betrothal period before the actual wedding during which the man and woman would be nearly considered already married. This covenant agreement was not something entered into lightly. The wedding itself would have taken place at the bridegroom's home, according to Jewish tradition, and it would have lasted seven days.

Early in the chapter, there is a problem. There is a wedding celebration but the wine is gone. We aren't given the reason why. Has someone miscalculated the number of guests that would be attending? Have the guests consumed more than the host wanted to serve? At this point in the celebration, the reason WHY doesn't really matter. Knowing the WHY won't solve this problem. When I read John 2, I notice that no one is pointing the finger of blame at anyone, friends are not consulted to give their judgement of WHY there is suddenly no more wine, nor does the occasion change from a wedding party to a pity party! Don't we frequently do those exact things when there is a problem? Oftentimes, we put forth more effort into lamenting the problem than looking for a solution to the problem. For some reason, finding someone or something to blame can become more important than finding a solution. John 5:6 Wilt thou be made whole?

Mary goes straight to Jesus with the problem. We don't read of her trying to come up with a solution to this problem on her own. She doesn't appear to tweet out the embarrassing lack for everyone to know. Though she doesn't know how He will address the lack, she plainly tells Him because she knows He is the one at this wedding who does have a solution. Where am I looking apart from Jesus for solutions to my problems? How about you? What thing or person are you looking to as a distraction or answer? Mary didn't limit Jesus with the solutions she could think of and offer Him options on how to fix the issue at hand. She didn't know what He would do, and, honestly, his reply sounds like a refusal. His reply doesn't discourage her. Jesus has not done any miracles publicly at this time, but Mary knows Jesus. She submits to whatever He decides. Whatever He says to you, do it. Mary didn't need to know how or what. She told Him her problem because she knew He was a problem solver and she left it right there. Some thirty years prior, she had displayed this same lack of "need to know" when she replied to the Angel of the Lord, in Luke 1 Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. I feel certain that the Angel of the Lord's words in Luke 1 For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment were etched on her heart. I feel that is why she told the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it. She believed His words held power and fulfillment and reigned over "impossible".  I have asked God to take away my "need to know" and be like Mary. What freedom that brings.

Though Jesus had replied that His hour had not yet come, He does a miracle and creates wine from water so that there is plenty for the remaining celebration. Are you doubting right now in ANY area? Does something in your life appear to be "not enough"? I encourage you to do what Mary modeled for us. Tell Him your problem. Leave the solution up to Him. Whatever He says to you, do it. Give Him the opportunity, like Mary did, to do something you could not even think to do.

How exceedingly, abundantly above anything that we could imagine that Jesus, did His first miracle creating wine at a covenant celebration knowing that HE was the fulfillment of the new covenant which all of us can enter. Matthew 26:27-29 And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you; For this is My blood of the new covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I say to you, I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it with you new and of superior quality in My Father’s kingdom.

Bear With the Barriers

November 13, 2022

Most of us are familiar with Esther in the bible. "For such a time as this," right? We likely know about Mordecai, her cousin, who raised her as his own after she became an orphan and her unlikely summons to the palace as a potential candidate for the role of queen. We probably remember how, later, as queen, she fasted and risked her own life going before the king to ask for her people to be saved. Then there is the major boomerang in the story when Haman was hung on his own gallows that he had built for Mordecai's death. WOW!

However, if we back up to the very beginning of the story before Esther was even in the picture, we might easily overlook one of the key players, Queen Vashti. We are not told much about her. In Esther 1:9 we find out also Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus. So she is helping to host this 187 day party that the king has been having. Wait, what?? A nearly half a year long party?!? It's actually two parties; first, there was the 180 day long party followed by a 7 day feast. Can you even try to imagine that? What could they have been celebrating for that long? Esther 1:4 tells us While he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor and excellence of his majesty for many days. Oh my, this king was obviously quite full of himself. Can you imagine being married to a king that threw a party in honor of, well, himself for over six months? Then on the last day of the party we read in Esther 1:10-12 On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who ministered to King Ahasuerus as attendants, To bring Queen Vashti before the king, with her royal crown, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to behold. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.

Vashti has tolerated the vanity of her husband during this extravagant 6 month long feast, but suddenly, on the last day, she. is. done! She refuses to be paraded around in the palace garden in front of a bunch of drunk men.

Yeah, I think I would refuse to do that, too. However, this was the king. One did not tell the king "no." Vashti had to be familiar with court protocol. She had to have known that her refusal would have disastrous consequences. However, Queen Vashti puts this boundary in place, and she doesn't budge. As we continue reading Esther 1:19 we find out that Vashti's life drastically changes because of her tenacity. If it pleases the king, let a royal command go forth from him and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and Medes, so that it may not be changed, that Vashti is to [be divorced and] come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.

We do not know a lot about Queen Vashti, but we do know that she stood firm in this circumstance. How many times had she compromised herself and her beliefs before she took this drastic stance? What possibly was different this time?

Though we don't know much about Queen Vashti's character or motives, we do know much about God's character and motives. Proverbs 21:1 tells us The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills. Again in Proverbs 16:4 we are reminded The Lord has made everything [to accommodate itself and contribute] to its own end and His own purpose—even the wicked [are fitted for their role] for the day of calamity and evil. A few verses later we read, A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure. Proverbs 16:9

Queen Vashti had her own "for such a time as this." Vashti was not a Jew seeking to follow her Hebrew God. It didn't matter. God used her determined spirit to set off a chain of events that led to her removal from the palace, and therefore, a place was created for Esther. The Lord vacated the role so that Esther could be divinely place and could be used to accomplish His purposes.

God does the same thing in our lives today. Is there somewhere else you are supposed to be? Perhaps so, but you don't have to bulldoze your way in; God is perfectly able to place you exactly where you need to be. Feel as though you keep running up on roadblocks and dead ends? Those may just be boundaries like Vashti had put in place. Those very boundaries may be exactly what clears a path for you. Don't be discouraged by another's role, boundary, or "place." God has His own purposes, and you can trust that EVERYTHING works to accomplish those purposes. He is the one who does exceeding, abundantly above what we can even imagine.

His Love

July 29, 2022

Who could dare describe the love of our Father? What does it look like? Can you see it in the sun rising over the horizon visible beyond the waves of the unfathomable depths of the ocean? Does it appear to you in the majestic heights of the mountains or in the swaying leaves of the mighty oak tree? Maybe you've seen it in the tender caress of a mother's hand wiping away the tears of despair in her child's eyes.

Can it be heard? Imagine all the ways you've heard love. It can sound harsh with pain or disappointment. Love can be a shout or a whisper. It can be heard in a melody of a song or in the anguished cry of one betrayed by those closest. Love can sound like joyful giggles bubbling up out of a child. Love can be silent. You can hear the Holy Spirit speak love into your spirit and heart without hearing a sound.

Can it be felt? Maybe it feels like the warm rays of the rising sun falling gently across your face in the first morning light. It can feel cold like the snow falling in the winter. It can feel distant or as close as your very breath.

No matter how His love feels, looks, or sounds to you, it cannot be fully described. There is always more. It is always deeper. There is always new to learn. The love that motivated the Lord to give up his sinless son for us cannot be fully comprehended. His love governs, sets boundaries, laughs, cries, gives, takes, protects, teaches, honors, tears down, covers, exposes, runs, stays still, surprises, mourns, and guides. No matter where you are today in HIs love: basking in it, rejecting it, confused by it, searching for it, or running from it, it is here and it is now. His love is exceedingly, abundantly above anything you could imagine it to be.

Be expectant for Him to show you His love today in a new way.