Nakavu Village Church front door. Photographed by Siteri

Obedience: Intimacy with Jesus Christ

Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it

John 2:5 KJV

What is your reaction when God speaks to you?

Do you instantly obey Him, without question, just as those servants did when Christ Jesus instructed them to fill the waterpots?

John chapter 2 talks about Christ’s first recorded miracle, of turning water into wine at a certain wedding feast in Cana of Galilee and there are so many things we can learn from these few verses alone. Things like Christ Jesus’ power, His absolute lordship and complete mastery over matter and the elements, and His authority, and how the wedding at Cana is a picture of the wedding feast of the Lamb of God, to mention a few.

One of the things that stands out for me is Mary’s reaction to the situation and the servants’ reaction to Jesus’ words. Mary is not named in this passage but is only referred to as, ‘the mother of Jesus’. Although their exchange is brief, it still shows us a rich picture of their deep intimacy and trust.

Jesus’s mother tells Him about the dilemma of the wine running out (a bad problem to have in any wedding anywhere, in any century, I’m sure), completely trusting that He will do something about it. To me, this proves that she’s experienced Jesus handling such matters in the past, although they aren’t mentioned in Scripture. I think we can safely assume that if the mother of Jesus tells Him about the problem and tells the servants (despite Jesus’s initial reluctance) to obey Jesus’s instructions, she knows without a doubt that He will solve the problem.

(I like to think that miracles were a common occurrence in their household.)

That knowing, that intimate knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, such trust, grows from our obedience to Him. Just like those servants at the wedding feast, who obeyed Him without question and received the privilege of witnessing the first recorded miracle of our Lord Jesus Christ. The same manner of perfect obedience that Mary displayed when the angel Gabriel told her God’s message, that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and will deliver a son, that would become the Deliverer of the world.

Fear not, Mary; for thou has found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conveive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his Kingdom there shall be no end.

Luke 1:30-33

God reaching out to the human race, His creation, testifies to His pursuing a relationship with us, with you, and with me. His abiding presence in us, through the Holy Spirit, speaks to His pursuit of a growing and deepening intimacy with each of us.

Is it too much to ask of us, to ask of you and me, to hear Him, listen to His Word, and obey Him?

Think of all the miracles He has worked in your life. Think of all those times when you needed, and I mean, needed, His help, and He came through for you. He resolved those difficult situations. He rescued you from certain death. He comforted you when you felt all alone and desperately lonely.

Our Lord Jesus Christ promised that He would always intercede for us to God the Father. And God is always there. The Holy Spirit is always present, speaking God’s truth into our hearts and minds. If we would only listen and obey.

Pray

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