I’m enjoying some wildly rich Pioneer Woman’s hot chocolate, sitting in front of my window looking at the foot of snow we’ve received in the last two days. Everything is covered in bright white snow.
The stillness that comes from an unanticipated storm always takes me by surprise; the sky offering a gray backdrop to snow-covered roofs.
It’s that way with our hearts too I think…with a storm comes…stillness (maybe forced?). Listening…watching…waiting. Is it fear or is it anticipation?
I read in the book of John today about Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding. It’s a story I’ve heard/read probably a 100 times before. But the obedience of the disciples caught my eye in a new way today.
Jesus’ mother told them to follow whatever directions Jesus gave them and they were ready and waiting. And when Jesus told them to fill six 30-gallon jugs with water…they did it. Simple instructions but not context. They had no idea what Jesus was up to.
We get to read to the end of the story. We know He’s going to do a miracle. We know He’s making wine. But they didn’t and they followed Him anyway.
The disciples were willing even though they didn’t know what was going to happen next. And that, right there is the achiles heel of my faith. I want context. I want big picture understanding before daily faith.
Today’s scripture was a gentle reminder that faith is a little blind sometimes and it makes you do crazy things that don’t always make a lot of sense. Faith is acting on a belief without all the answers, neatly sorted out and organized.
What the disciples didn’t get to see in the moment, but I do, is that Jesus was orchestrating a miracle. And it was a simple miracle to make people’s lives better. To dare I say, make them happy??
Water to wine. Miracles everywhere, big and small, quiet moments in the midst of a storm, if I’m willing to see them. Simply obey and watch God do amazing things.
So easy to feel inspired, quite another to live it.
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