READING: 2 Kings 13-14, John 2
“Do whatever He tells you,” His mother told the servants.
John 2:5
In my 40+ years of being a Christian, I would have saved myself much heartache had I done what Mary told the servants at the wedding in Cana of Galilee to do. When she recognized that the people at the wedding had run out of wine, she told Jesus about the problem. In His mild rebuke of His mother, He essentially said, “I follow the will of another rather than you.” In so doing, He likely was beginning the task of showing even Mary that He was more than her earthly son; He was the Messiah that she, too, must follow. Her response to the servants at least suggests that she saw Him as powerful: “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).
That’s the phrase that I wish I had followed more closely. I would have had less inner turmoil if I had prayed for my enemies. My worship at times would have been stronger if I had first forgiven someone who hurt me, and then returned to worship. My sin issues might have been less potent had I taken drastic steps to move ahead in my spiritual walk (figuratively, like cutting off my hand or gouging out my eyes). My faith would be more solid if I had kept on praying and not given up hope in early ministry struggles. My soul would have been less troubled if I had forgiven others as Jesus commanded. I could continue the illustrations, but the point remains the same: I have not always done whatever Jesus commanded me to do.
I suspect, to be honest, that I have sometimes overcomplicated what it means to follow Jesus. It’s easy to talk about theological matters without necessarily allowing them to change our lives. It’s possible to know Bible facts but not know God as strongly as we once thought. I catch myself sometimes rationalizing my sin, and the energy spent to come up a “justifiable” excuse is extensive. At other times, I wrestle with the legalism that marked my life prior to about age 22. What I forget sometimes is the simplicity of following Jesus.
All we have to do is do whatever He tells us.
And, whatever He tells us to do through His Word is always right.
ACTION STEPS:
- Determine where you might not be doing all that God demands. Repent as needed.
- Praise God for His power. He can take water and turn it into wine.
PRAYER: “Father, I commit myself today to do whatever you ask.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 2 Kings 15-16, John 3:1-18