Thursday, April 11, 2013

The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)


Today's scriptures: John 2:1-11

Jesus began His earthly ministry at a wedding. Interesting. He could have begun with healing a lame man or feeding the 5000. Those would have had more "bang for the buck."

Instead, He quietly turned water into wine. At a wedding. Interesting.

Have you ever stopped to wonder why He chose this venue to perform His first miracle? Why a wedding?

I don't know for sure; I think it may have to do with how God views marriage. I'm not going to get all political, but marriage has become quite a controversy lately. The world's view of marriage is very different than God's. Instead of the "leave and cleave 'til death us do part," the majority seem to view marriage as "until something better comes along."

Unfortunately, that opinion seems to have infiltrated the church as well. The Bible gives only two explicit "reasons" for the dissolution of marriage: infidelity (Matthew 19:8-9) and if an unbelieving spouse chooses to leave a believer (1 Corinthians 7:15). I believe a third "unspoken" reason (although some may disagree) is if there is abuse and the perpetrator refuses to be rehabilitated. I believe this because husbands are to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25, 28), and wives are to respect their husbands (Ephesians 5:33, CEV). Love and respect do not equate with abuse.

These are the only biblical reasons, yet how many marriages are being dissolved because of that all-encompassing "irreconcilable differences"? Within and without of the church?

Beyond the covenant of earthly marriage, though, is how we who follow Christ are described as Jesus' "bride," and one day, there will be a "marriage supper" (Revelation 19:7-8).

Marriage is—or should be—a covenant made between a man and a woman and their God. It is—or should be—sacred and protected. It is a gift from God, not to be taken lightly.

Maybe that's why Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding.

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