John 2:4: “Woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.”

Mary was probably not asking Jesus to do a miracle.  She was just asking Jesus to help this wedding family out of an embarrassing situation.

Sometimes, I don’t know what I’m asking. Sometimes, when I pray, God is going to answer in a way that I could never have imagined.  My simple faith, like Mary’s, that bringing my concerns to Jesus will result in Him bringing about a solution, is all I need when I approach Him.  The rest is up to God.  The ‘How’, the ‘When’, and the ‘Who’ is all in His hands.

John 2:7: “Fill the jars with water.”

Jesus asked the servants to perform one action – fill the jars that you have with water.  Fill them with what you can.

Every day the Lord will reveal simple acts of obedience that Jesus can use as the basis for a miracle in my life or someone else’s life.  Examples: inviting someone to church and not giving up after the first rejection; praying for someone; taking a walk with a friend to listen to their problems and concerns; cooking a meal for a family with a sick loved one; offering rides to someone without a car.

I can fill the jars of someone’s life with the refreshing rivers of living water that flow from inside me and Jesus can turn that into new wine in their life.

Lord help me to expect to see Your miracles of salvation, healing and deliverance in the lives of people I come in contact with everyday.  Help me to be obedient to pour living water into people – however You need me to do it – and to be obedient to follow through when I hear Your direction.  Let me be prompt to execute your instruction like the servants of the wedding were prompt to fill the jars with water.  To paraphrase Mary’s words, “I will do whatever you command.”

*** As an interesting note: After I wrote these words in my journal, I went out for my morning run.  As I was returning into my neighborhood, I saw a man in a motorized wheelchair out of the corner of my eye.  As I kept running in the opposite direction (heading home), I clearly heard the Lord tell me to turn around and go pray for this man.  I immediately started having a mental “argument” with the Lord about how I was on a short time frame, I had to get ready for work, etc. etc etc. I knew, though, that every step closer to my house was becoming a step of disobedience.  So I turned around. By the time I caught up with the gentleman – remember I said he was in a MOTORIZED wheelchair – he was already on the sidewalk of a busy road just outside of our neighborhood.  Now I was going  to get the privilege of praying for him while oncoming traffic watched!  I approached him and told him that while I was running I felt impressed to come over and pray for him and asked if there was anything I could pray for.  He agreed that I could pray for him and then he dropped the bomb.  He told me that this day was the anniversary of his only son’s death.  His son had taken his life two years before as a result of untreated PTSD after 3 tours in Afghanistan.  Oh boy…  I prayed like I’ve never prayed before.  I don’t know who was more touched by God’s love for this man – him or me.  After we parted ways, I sobbed all the way home – I could barely breathe as I was running.  I was totally blown away by God’s omniscience and great love for each one of us.  And then came the really amazing part.  I kept saying over and over to the Lord, “Thank you.  Thank you for letting me be a part of showing that man that You see him.  That You are aware of his pain.  And you sent hands and feet to touch him and demonstrate Your great compassion for his suffering. ” And then I heard the Lord say to me, “Thank you.  Thank you for turning around.  If you didn’t go, who would?”   wow.

We pour living water into ordinary jars and God makes the miracle.