Have you ever noticed how central Mary, Jesus’ mother, is in the story of Him turning water to wine? In fact, the miracle happens because of her boldness, which makes me wonder why it was so important to her…
“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with His disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever He tells you.” John 2:1-5 ESV
The story makes it clear Jesus doesn’t seem to have any intention of doing anything about this situation until His mother, somewhat forcefully, intervenes.
Why is Mary so adamant about Jesus taking care of this situation?
Why does God change the timing of Jesus’ life and ministry to satisfy Mary’s request?
Could there be a subplot to the story?
Culturally, there would be a great deal of shame associated with running out of wine at a wedding. The guests would be disappointed, the celebration would end early, and the family would be chastised for not planning well or having the resources to put on a proper celebration. The shame might even cause the bride and groom to question the success of their marriage.
But how does this potential shame relate to Mary?
When Jesus’ mother was married, she was pregnant. The wedding was, most likely, a very small affair and, even though it was unwarranted, would have been surrounded by a sense of shame. Like most young girls, Mary had certainly dreamed about her wedding day and yet, these dreams were denied because she was carrying God’s child.
When Mary ignores Jesus’ comment that this is not yet His time and tells the servants “Do whatever He tells you.” she sounds quite demanding. Is she saying to Him “I don’t want this bride to experience what I experienced at my wedding. I don’t want her to feel shame and disappointment around what is supposed to be the biggest celebration of her life?” Is she being so bold as to say to God, “you owe me since I didn’t get to have a celebration of my own?” When Jesus says ‘Woman, what does this have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” does He look into His mother’s eyes and see that it has everything to do with her?
Whatever exchange happens between Mary and Jesus at that moment, God modifies the timing of Jesus’ life and ministry simply to satisfy Mary’s request. He honors Jesus’ mother, one of the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:12), and shares His great care for the small details of His children.
His love for us is so immense that He will go out of His way for us, even if it changes the timing of His plans.
Sherri Cowhig Guides Leadership Teams to Integrate Faith and Business, Seeking God’s Direct Guidance for Growth, Challenges, and Building Spiritually Healthy Organizations!
Visit www.iMethod.life or email Sherri@iMethod.life to find out more.
Copyright © 2024 Sherri Cowhig All Rights Reserved
Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash