Turning Your Water into Wine

I’ve recently been captivated by the story of Jesus turning water into wine (John 2:1-11). I’ve concluded that we all  have “water” of some kind that needs to be transformed into wine.

Water is an essential, elemental part of life. But in this story it also stands for the plain, the ordinary, and the bland. Wine, in contrast, has flavor and fizz. Jesus said this kind of wine must be put into “new wineskins,” because it is needs room to expand and grow.

Take a second and ponder what boring, bland parts of your life may be due for a transformation like this. Your job? Your ministry? Your marriage? Your relationship with the Lord?

The good news is that Jesus can turn ordinary  things into something extraordinary. If you’ve lost your fizz in some area of your life, He can help you get it back. And if you’ve been stagnating instead of expanding and growing, your turnaround can be closer than you think.

But transformation comes with a price. Jesus’ mother told the servants at the wedding feast, “Whatever He says to you, do it”  (v. 5). I guarantee that if you follow this profound advice, your water will surely be turned into wine.

But it’s a pretty radical statement, isn’t it? Are you willing to do WHATEVER He tells you to do? Think about it. That’s the price of transforming your circumstances and your life.

The wedding feast “ran out of wine”  (v. 2), and perhaps that’s how you’re feeling today as well. You had  money…but it ran out. You had  love…but now it seems to be gone. You had  dreams…but somehow they evaporated or turned into nightmares.

At such times, it’s easy to feel frustrated or disillusioned. “I never thought it would be this way,” you moan. That’s exactly how the people at the wedding feast must have felt when they ran out of wine.

But the story isn’t over yet…or at least it doesn’t have to be.

No wine? No problem! All you have to do is find out what Jesus is telling you to do. More often than not, He will tell you to give Him something you HAVE (like water) in order to get something you NEED (like wine). Sounds fairly simple, doesn’t it?

So what do you have  today, and what do you need? Like exchanging water for wine, I promise you it will be a great exchange indeed.

Those who taste the newly made “wine” in your life may well be like the master of the feast, who did not know where it came from” (v. 9). They’ll wonder where you got such peace, joy, and zest for life, even amid difficult times. What a great chance to tell them about Jesus, the one who can turn their water into wine too.

If you’re a Baby Boomer like me, you may have been tempted to feel that life has passed you by and your best years are now behind you. But this story ends with some additional good news. Jesus didn’t just replace the old wine with something new: He saved the BEST for LAST! (v. 10) He can do the same for you, when you do what He says and give Him what you have.

 

3 thoughts on “Turning Your Water into Wine

  1. I ask myself what do I have today? I only have R120 as my tithe, is it enough for the Lord to transform my situation. I’ve cracked my skull on how am I going to pay all this debts my rent,child schoolfees & transport the list is endless how I got here? My foolishness deprive me of sleep,peace & happiness will I ever get out since I no longer work with no income. Its tough only God knows…I wonder if in all this pressure will I be able to cope & just put my eyes on the cross. Truly speaking I’m stressed, ppl calling & coming over cause I owe them…plz pray for me.

    • Thanks for sharing this heartfelt situation. The story comes to mind about the woman who provided for Elijah in 1 Kings 17. She was in despair and felt that she had very little. But God turned her situation around, and much more quickly than she could have imagined. I will be praying for such an outcome for you as well.

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