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.”

Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 13:1 – 15:27

Relate: I grew up reading the NIV and the New King James. In a quite rebellious way this verse was a comfort to me. In the NIV: “Woman, why do you involve me?” In the NKJV: “Woman, what does your concern have to do with me?” The way I read it as an early teen Jesus was saying to his mother in a not very respectful way, “Woman, go away I can’t be bothered.” That was pretty much my modus operandi as well. No, I wouldn’t go so far as to call my mom “woman” but the way I used “mom” often carried the same connotation. (Come to think of it, I actually did try that once and I couldn’t sit down for a week.) The way I saw it, I was like Jesus. When would be given a chore, I would huff and complain that I have more important things to do. Unfortunately, like Mary, mom would steamroll right over my objections and I would end up marching upstairs to do the dishes, take out the trash, or whatever other form of torture she devised for me to do.

It does my heart good to see that the next generation being raised reading the NLT won’t have such an excuse. Although the added word “dear” has no Greek parallel it conveys much more closely Jesus’ heart as he responds to his mother. But what still gets to me is that, no matter how respectful Jesus is, he is still telling Mary no. Yet Mary ignores the no and goes right on ahead telling the servants to do whatever Jesus commands. She knew who Jesus was. While he was still a child inside her, an angel came and told her. She heard the testimony of the shepherds and the wise men. She heard Samuel and Anna’s prophesies over her boy in the Temple. He grew up sinless and as much as that is a dream come true for any mother, I know that she had to realize there is something supernatural about that. Mary knew that her child was the Messiah. Yet she ignored him.

Or perhaps she didn’t ignore him. Perhaps she responded to His heart and His nature rather than His words. Mary spent the past thirty or so years with her boy. She knows His compassion. She knows His love. Like I was saying yesterday, she knows that Jesus would really love a good wedding. And this wedding was quickly becoming not good. To make it last, the wine was becoming watered down. Jesus, the bringer of new wine wouldn’t go for that. The bride and groom were probably starting to get nervous and panicked. The wedding planner was ringing his hands in the corner trying to figure out what he can do to avoid this catastrophe. Others might not notice, but I’m sure Jesus did. More than that, Mary knew He would. She knew He couldn’t help Himself. A miracle was on its way. Mother knows best.

React: Sometimes the things I want to pray for, I feel like I shouldn’t. I know in my head that it doesn’t matter but when I’m asking God to help me remember where I left my keys part of me is thinking, “He has more important things to do than help disorganized me.” When I’m laying in bed crying like a baby because I’m suffering with a head cold, I’m thinking, “What are my troubles compared to those suffering with terminal diseases who have been given weeks or days to live. Yes, I might feel like I’m about to die, but in a day or two I will be right back on my feet. God can’t be bothered with my minor needs.”

It was a party. So the party wasn’t going quite as well as they had hoped. So what? There were a few more guests hanging around a little longer and drinking a bit more than we had expected when we crunched the numbers. So what? Doesn’t the Messiah have more important things to do like ending Roman oppression and establishing the Kingdom of God on earth? Compared to that what does it matter if our wedding party doesn’t quite go as well as hoped? Mary knew Jesus heart. She knew His nature. And when it comes right down to it, God just loves showering His favor down on us.

Respond: 

God, You see me. You notice and You care about the needs I might have. Compared to many I have it pretty good. I thank You for how You’ve blessed me. Help me to have a heart and a compassion that will never cease breaking for things like sickness, and poverty, and injustice. Let me do what I can to be a lightbringer in these issues. But let me not forget that You desire to shower Your love on me too. Your big heart includes me. Knowing me, sometimes that baffles me, yet its true. Do those things that show me and remind me of Your love so that I can pray and work in confidence at bringing Your love to the world around me.