Scripture:
John 2: 3-5 “The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Observation:
There aren’t many glimpses in to Jesus’ family life, but I think this brief recording has some fun insight. It reminds me of something mom would do. Despite the quieter role women had at this time, while all the men stood around greiving the shortage, Mary decides to fix it. It shows that Mary knew Jesus had extraordinary power. I wonder what displays of power Jesus made among his family and how much his family knew about who he was, and what his future held. It illustrates general belief in the potential of a child.
Application:
It also strikes me that despite the apparently bad timing of the event, Jesus helps his mother, and also the newly married couple (as well as providing 150 gallons of cheer to everyone else). I ought to help regardless of whether the timing works for me.
Prayer:
Thank you Lord for family and giving us your Word, full of examples.
Scripture:
John 1:37-39 “When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.”
Observation:
Jesus was such a relational guy. It may be that there is some deeper or implicit meaning or significance in the statement “where are you staying,” but it seems a simple question to me. It should also have a simple answer! “The Red Lion, down the street,” or “Under the bridge by the big red wagon,” or “Over at Levi’s house.” Short – not needing explanation or investigation. But Jesus makes this question an opportunity to build relationships – “Come and see!”
Application:
To be honest, I can’t help but think I would’ve thought something like “Okay… I didn’t think this needed to be an ordeal, it was pretty straightforward.” I need to be more like the disciples and jump at any chance to build my relationship with someone – ultimately our life here has nothing to do with the tasks that fill our time, it’s about who we’re filling that time with. Second, I need to be more like Jesus. I need to see everything as an opportunity to develop relationships. Broad-stroke application: do the best I can to show answers, no matter how simple. Pointed God-called-me-out application: resume the sermon uploading process with Jeff, a task which is so much simpler alone (except that I’m missing the point!).
Prayer:
Help me love people better, help me love them more.
Scripture:
2 Peter 3:16 “Some of [Paul's] comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.”
Observation:
Scripture can be twisted to benefit oneself, and it can also be twisted for condemnation of another. Sometimes God disrupts our comfort with a protruding verse. The easy course is to massage that verse back into the Bible. One way we can do this is by twisting other Scripture until it “contradicts” the verse.
Application:
Like a wedding ring molds an indent on a finger, so should scripture mold my life. When reading the Bible, I need to be sure that I’m sensitive to the moments when a verse disrupts my comfort. Then I need to let it mold me, rather than trying to mold it.
Prayer:
Lord, let me not mold scripture, but let scripture mold me.
Scripture:
Isaiah 56:1 “This is what the Lord says: Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you.”
Observation:
Perspective is such a valuable tool in our moral and spiritual development. When we are able to evaluate a situation against God’s context, criteria, and character, it makes room for love, for forgiveness, and for peace. So when we consider that he is “coming soon to rescue” us, it makes it easy to “temporarily” humble and sacrifice oneself for the sake of justice, righteousness, and goodness.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for offering us your perspective, please help me be mindful of your context, your criteria, and your character when I assess and respond to situations.
Scripture:
Isaiah 50:4 “Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.”
Observation:
The way Isaiah frames the path to understanding God’s will is so frustrating! And yet I love it. I want to know God’s will for my life right now – all of it. I want to see the the stops, the turns, and the “end” (the point in my life where I have comfortably settled into God’s “will” for my life and no longer need to seek further direction). Hah. I was thinking yesterday about destination vs. journey and that, though we repeat this phrase to one another, it never quite registers to me as something to apply to my spiritual journey – my relationship with Christ. I falsely think that God’s will is more about what I do, rather than who I am. Yet God is so much more interested in the latter. I suppose that makes it no surprise that scripture has very little to say about what to be, but is filled with guidance about who to be.
Application:
I must remind myself of this when I get wrapped up in God’s “direction” for my life. I know that my direction is toward heaven, toward Christ. I also know that the manner I arrive will be morning by morning as he opens my understanding.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for giving me direction. Please give me faith to be content following behind you and trust your destination.
