2010 – October 23 – Saving the Best Till Last

Study from God’s Word… John 1: 35 – 51; John, Chapters 2 – 4; Luke 3: 19-20 … Passage for Reflection: John 2: 9 – 10 … NIV They did so, 9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

My Journal for Today: The word picture of Jesus’ first miracle has so many wonderful applications; but none more so, as reminded by LaGard Smith in his devotional for today, than in anyone’s marriage, which, of course, was the setting for this picture of how Jesus wants the institution of marriage to be preserved and honored. And this is also true as the New Testament pictures Jesus’ relationship with His Church … with the Messiah as the Groom and the Church as His Bride.

But back to the wedding at Cana and the miracle of Jesus turning water into fine, vintage wine when the wine had run out at the wedding. And we must remember that the wine running out would have been a social disaster at any 1st century Jewish wedding. Therefore, right here in His first miracle, Jesus shows that He is all about turning the worst of life into the best. And The Lord also turns the conventions of the world on their end; because by giving the couple and the wedding coordinator the finest of wines last at the wedding, Jesus shows that when one follows HIS WAY, they can have the best fruits of a wedding available to them even when the sweetness of the honeymoon wears off.

And as Dr. Smith asks to end his devotional today, and I rephrase, “if you’re married, is the marriage aging like a fine wine with the best coming last in your relationship and in life?” Because if all of us who are married – and really any single as well – were to do exactly what Jesus’ mother instructed the wedding staff to do, we would all have more sweetness later in the marriages and circumstances of aging.

Mary said, ”Do whatever He (Jesus) tells you?” And later Jesus Himself would utter much the same to His disciples, telling them to deny themselves and follow Him (see Luke 9: 23). Because if we do, Jesus’ Cana miracle can be repeated; and we can – in a marriage or in life – experience the bestest lastest (forgive my misspelling with the truth).

And may I give witness to the truth from Cana. My wife and I were married as selfish non-believers, even with a church wedding; and we wanted the best for our marriage. But the intimacy and the sweetness in our relationship went sour and dissipated; and it was only when we individually and collectively in our marriage surrendered our lives to Christ that He not only restored the wine of intimacy to our marriage; but He gave us the best for last; because now what we have in our marriage is far sweeter and far richer than what we had during even our honeymoon.

I pray for the same for you; and you can have that too … if … you just follow Mary’s advice and do what Jesus tells you to do in your marriage and in life.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, … praise Your Name … because You have given my wife and I such sweetness as our marriage ages and we set aside our selves and bring You evermore into our lives to give us the best for last. Amen