If given a choice, no one would prefer stale potato chips over good ones. We would choose fresh over stale.
In life, we have seasons where something has grown stale.
It might be in your approach to prayer. Perhaps “Now I lay me down to sleep, pray the Lord my soul to keep” is the best you can do.
It could be that you’ve lost your passion for your job or marriage and are simply running on cruise control.
These seasons happen. It’s when we get stuck there that we’re in big trouble.
Here’s the good news: Jesus loves to works in areas of our life that have grown stale.
It’s at a wedding that we’re first introduced to the supernatural side of Jesus. That might surprise you: Jesus was not anti-social. In fact, he went to quite a few parties (that alone may challenge you to rethink Jesus). Here’s how his friend John tells the story …
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. – John 2:1-11
The miracle itself is simple: turn water into wine. That’s probably been a miracle you’ve wanted to perform before!
Let’s put it in context. For the groom to have run out of wine would have been a major faux paus. Embarassing. Perhaps this is what Mary sensed and why she asked Jesus to get involved. And when Jesus did get involved, he went first-class. No cheap stuff!
Do you have parts of life that are more like water and less like wine? Let’s put it another way … At what level is your passion for life?
Over-flowing?
Half-full?
Running out fast?
On empty?
The key to how Jesus changes a person’s life is found in two verses …
John 2:5 … 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Do whatever Jesus asks you to do. If Jesus prompts you to forgive someone, forgive them. If Jesus puts it on your heart to do a good deed, do it.
Jesus is able to transform us when we ALLOW him to transform us.
John 2:11 … 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Put your faith in Jesus. When the disciples “believed in him,” this was more than just an intellectual belief in what Jesus had just done. They placed their trust in him.
For some of you, this might be for the first time. Up to this point, you have lived for yourself and by yourself.
For others of you, it might mean turning over a situation or a relationship to him.
Regardless if it’s for the first time or the next time, here’s the good news: Jesus can change the course of your life on a moment’s notice.