May 24, 2015
“…But you saved the best till now.” John 10
I love the days when we sit and ponder the wonder and the miracle of the love of God…those moments which seem to make time stand still…when the past, the present, and the future seem to, for a few seconds, collaborate in the recognition of the Divine and of the God-ness, and of the Good-ness of our Savior. Yes, He adores delighting His children.
Times of Transition
This is a season of transition for some of my dearest friends. As the pages of the previous chapters of life dwindle, they are trusting in and desperately holding on to the promise of the new chapters awaiting them…How wonderful and how hope-filled is the realization that our Yeshua Christ is present for these transitions…I speak from experience.
And not only present, but I love the fact that His first miracle occurred at a wedding…one of the most beautiful, consequential, momentous, significant, valuable, life-changing events in life… Bill and I know because we have celebrated both of our children’s weddings, in fact, Christie and Barry recently celebrated their ninth anniversary, and Adam and Claire will soon celebrate their tenth. (In addition to our own…oh my, almost thirty-six years ago)
Weddings are grand celebrations whether the guest list is two, or whether it is five hundred. Jesus knew this…in fact, I do believe that marriage and weddings were His idea…and yes, He loves the celebration. Not only was He present with His mother and the disciples at this particular wedding many years ago, but, He became personally involved in the dynamics of the celebration.
The days leading up to any wedding are a mixture of emotions, of deadlines, of timelines, of details, of endless lists, of sleepless nights, and then, time marches on through the preparation…and the calendar announces the arrival of the wedding day.
I am sure that the days leading up to the wedding in Cana in Galilee involved great efforts and numerous people preparing for the spectacular event. So many details…but one of the most beautiful is the attire of the bride and the groom. History indicates that the Hebrew bride and groom dressed in clothing fit for a King and Queen. I love how we emulate that custom…the exquisite gown…the handsome suit…tailored to perfection. No doubt, this Canaan couple sat under a beautifully decorated canopy and was stunning in their wedding garments…No doubt your children will be equally stunning for their weddings; ours were, too.
And no doubt, there were numerous guests, enough guests to drain the supply of wine…all of the wine which the bridegroom had provided…”
“When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.” John 2:3
I cannot imagine the embarrassment he must have experienced…I know the worry and concern over potential event disasters, try a tilting wedding cake! Anyone who has ever planned a wedding understands this! My dear sweet friends who are mothers-of –the-Bride or Groom, now, understand this, as they are literally in the midst of these moments of re-examining every list, over and over and over…
But, how wonderful and how hope-filled is the realization that our Yeshua Christ is present for these transitions…and He is present in the details…
It is wonderful and comforting to know that Yeshua Christ performed His first miracle at the wedding celebration. Why? Because He loved the celebration…He loved marriage…but, He loved the people even more. He loved the Bride and the Groom…He loved the parents…He loved the guests…Yes, I remember now, marriage, the wedding, is His idea and He deeply loves, sacrificially cares.
Mary also understood this love as she instructed the servers to, (Yes, a very wise woman…I need to remember these words), she instructed them to…
“Do whatever Jesus tells you to do.” John 2:5
Yeshua Christ miraculously took what the bridegroom and the “master of the banquet” possessed at the moment, six stone water jars used for ceremonial washing, and He replaced the water with the most excellent and the Best wine…He saved the BEST for that moment…using what they had…what they had given to Him, as they regarded Mary’s profound words…and “they did what He said to do”.
As my dear friends approach the wedding day of their children…I pray that they check their list one more time…then set it down…taking exactly what they have…all that they have…and even what they worry that they might not have…and set it down…lay it down…at the feet of Yeshua Christ…because, He is present in these transitions…He is the invited guest who always…always…always shows up…especially for a wedding…yes, because it is, after all, His idea! And He promises His BEST when we trust Him.
Times of Transition
I pray that my dear friends will turn another page…and will look forward with the anticipation of the next chapter…then,
My dear friend, lay your head on your pillow and have the sweetest dreams. Because Yeshua Christ is present for this transition…He is present for every transition…for graduation from preschool, kindergarten, middle school, high school, college, yes, weddings, births, homecomings . He is present for the newly- built nest…and He is present for the empty-nest. He is present for each transition…and He wants to be involved…
And He takes what you have, what you give to Him, and He gives you, in return, His BEST!
That means that when all is said and done…there will be a wedding day…rain or shine…wine or no wine…even with a tilting wedding cake, there will be a beautiful life-changing, promise-giving, celebration of two beautiful children miraculously joining their lives to be one…because Yeshua Christ loves marriage, weddings and the celebration. And the miracle of love and of marriage is the wondrous picture of the love of the Bride-groom, Yeshua Christ, as He loves and claims His Bride…the Church. And through this miracle…He reveals His glory…and others Believe…
“This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” John 2:11 NIV
My dear friends, Our Lord adores you and your precious children. I thank God for each one of you…I thank God for the beautiful celebration of your children and of the transitions…all of them, for graduations…for weddings and marriage… because, I know…I know…I know…
Though beautiful the memories may be…With God, the Best is yet to be!
He takes what you have, what you give to Him… and gives to you, in return, His BEST! He is the invited guest who always…always…always shows up…especially for a wedding, especially for life! Yes, because life after all, is His idea! And He promises His BEST when we trust Him.
May you be blessed and over-flowing with Abundant Joy,
