The Brim

Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love Gods Word.  I love the instruction, the commands, the principles, but I also love the stories.  Because they reveal so much more than the story line, or the moral at the end.  God can reveal things within the story that the story isn’t particularly about.  He does it through the Holy Spirit – and it’s how the Word of God is alive and active.  It’s His Word, that isn’t past tense, its present and future tense as well.  An amazing story, John 2.  On the third day a wedding took place in Cana in Galilee.  Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.  When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”  “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied, “My time has not yet come.”  His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”  Did Mary sense that God was about to do something.  Jesus said His time wasn’t yet… So did Mary push Jesus into doing something he didn’t want to?  Or God didn’t want him to do yet, but because she was his Mother…   Never.  Jesus only did what God wanted him to do.  It was time now - for Jesus’ first miraculous sign.  But to me, that wasn’t his first miracle or the first miracle surrounded Him.  When Nathaniel asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Phillip called you.”  That’s a miracle.  That would throw you if someone said that to you the first time you saw them.  Immediately Nathaniel said, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”  That was a miracle too.  That God in heaven prophetically spoke through Nathaniel – the truth of who Jesus was.  It came from God, not Nathaniel.  He just opened his mouth – and what God said, came out.  I love that verse from Mary.  “His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”  This story is about a lot, but it is Servanthood 101 for those who will see and hear.  That’s what makes you a servant.  Do whatever He tells you.  What a simple job description, what a simple life mission statement.  Do whatever He tells you.  Some people wake up in the morning and say.  “My day belongs to you, Lord,” and they proceed to carry out their own plans.  That’s why PiVAT before dinner is so important.  Getting His plans for you – is how you follow His plans.  It’s how you do whatever He tells you to do.  If you don’t ask Him, you won’t get the plans He has for you, in all the detail that He has for you at this time.  Whoever asks receives.  PiVAT before dinner is Servanthood 101.  It’s how you can do whatever he tells you.  Verse 6  Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.  Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.  I love this.  This is what a faithful servant does.  They hear what God tells them to do, they do it immediately, and they do it completely.  It wasn’t 'think about it for a while,' and it wasn’t fill it half way – or pretty much full.  These guys filled it to the brim.  Other than the surface tension of the water it would probably have spilled over.  They didn’t know why they were doing it, they didn’t know what was about to happen.  They just heard, and obeyed.  Fully, completely, with excellence.  They went above and beyond, all the way - to the Brim.  It’s what servants to.  They do what God tells them, they do it immediately, no debate, and no delay – they don’t have to understand everything right now… and they do it completely.  Praying that you will be like those servants.  That you will hear what Jesus says – because you get His plans for you every day, before you take the first bite of your evening meal.  Praying that you will finish strong what He told you today, completely, to the brim.  That you will trust that He will turn your water into wine.  What you are doing that seems so insignificant, that no one sees, that doesn’t matter, even the mundane things that you feel are so repetitive… Praying that you will hear clearly, obey instantly and obey completely.  Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”  This is servanthood 101 step three.  Hear, obey, and believe.  You want me to do what?  Take it to the Master of the banquet?  You realize this is just water, he will be furious with us.  This is believing enough to obey – when it doesn’t make sense to the natural mind.  This is a faith in what Jesus told you to do – that although you don’t understand it right now.  You fully trust Him to do what He wants, that it will make sense to you in the end.  And if not, if it never does, you’ll obey anyway.  That’s obedience mixed with faith, driven by faith, obedience that comes from faith.   Praying that you will learn to be great servants.  Jesus was.  It’s what He’s calling you to be as well.  And here’s what will happen.  Verse 11 This, the first if his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee.  He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.   Every time you hear and obey because you believe – God reveals his glory!  And many others will come to faith.  Servants help reveal his glory.  Praying that you will be the ones who hear, who believe, who obey, and who fill it to the brim, who share with others.  So your entire life will reflect His glory. 
 
Love you all,
dad