The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish. John 1:14, MSG
We’re not the only ones to go through troubles. The World was messed up when Jesus arrived, too. But that didn’t stop Him from loving people.
Despite what we know from Scripture and have seen in the movies about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, it’s difficult to fully know what life was like for Him.
But I imagine He was a normal, happy child who grew into a confident adult. I doubt He ever rebelled against Joseph and Mary.
Can you imagine living next door to their family?
You can almost hear the back-and-forth rasp of handsaws cutting fragrant wood and the pounding of His hammer as He creates another Masterpiece with His calloused hands.
The laughter of children playing nearby.
The sweet aroma of baking bread.
His mother’s voice calling Him for dinner.
Yet no one notices anything particularly amazing in Him.
Of course, there was that old rumor about His conception.
His parents weren’t married then, only engaged.
But like any gossip, it had probably died down long before He’d become a man. An ordinary man.
Then one day, He goes to a Wedding.
And the host of the feast runs out of wine … long before the party is over. His mom, who knows the Truth about Him, sets Him up. It seems He’s not especially happy about that, but He steps in and saves the day nonetheless.
Miracle #1
Water turns into wine.
Not just any wine.
It’s like the best wine ever.
Instantly.
No planting the vineyard.
No waiting for it to bear fruit.
No working the winepress.
No aging in wooden barrels.
No wineskins.
No waiting.
No drama.
Simply the best wine ever.
Instantly.
Life can be confusing. Things don’t always turn out like we expected. Problems defy solving. We drift from one thing to another. Looking for meaning. So why are you here? As I see it, the answers are simple. All you need is to realize three reasons you are here. On this earth. At this time in history. Although I believe the reasons are the same for all of us, how we play them out is a matter of our individual stories.