The exciting thing about the Epiphany season is the manifestation of the glory of God as revealed in Jesus. Who wouldn’t like to discover where and when God has been revealing himself to you personally? For some it may be in your dreams (Samuel or Joseph’s dream), for others it may be in a friend’s best advice you could ever hope for. God has myriads of ways he could use to reach out to us. Today we have striking evidence of that, in the sign that Jesus performed at the wedding of Cana. It doesn’t surprise us that the wedding wine would finish early which Jesus responded to, by turning water in wine. This sign is not as simple as we imagine it to be, the sign points to a much greater meaning that relates to the purposes of God. We actually get to discover through it, that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life as we contemplate on the sign that he performed. We see how God expresses himself in His desire to have a close relationship with us. In a way, we discover that God reveals himself to us to communicate His purposes and plan for our lives. I am hoping that through this exercise we, as believers may know how to listen when God speaks to us, and to discern where and how God is trying to communicate with us. Our OT lesson, Isaiah kicked it off for us with a wonderful message that conveys God’s sentiments for His people: “I will restore you; I will give you a new name, you are like a bride to me. I know you have experienced desolation but now, focus on me! I am poised to rebuild you, to mend what was broken and unfixable.” We notice here, the Spirit of the Lord bringing order out of chaos; bringing re-creation to desolate lands or desolate situations. It is this same Spirit of the Lord that gives spiritual gifts to believers (1 Cor 12). That might not be easy to take it in especially after the times the prophet Isaiah had previously confronted Israel for its sin. How could this rebuked sinful nation now receive such a loving message: “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord!” Of course, this is a picture of intimacy between a man and a woman. What a comparison! God wishes to be as close with his people as a union in marriage. God desires to be close to us even when we are in doubt, or sorrow, or in tough difficulties. Just because you don’t hear the voice of God, doesn’t mean He isn’t trying to communicate with you! Here Jesus finds himself in the middle of a wedding. Quite an unusual place you would expect God to speak to you! His mother is the first to communicate with Jesus the crisis of insufficient wine. Jesus’ response leaves us wondering! {Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.} Ultimately Jesus was already communicating that only the purposes of God Jesus will respond to. Not just because his mother asked. Jesus was there to fulfil the purposes of His Father. By turning water into wine, Jesus brings about the same OT message about God calling his people to himself into a covenantal relationship similar to that of a wedding! The church is the bride and Jesus is the bridegroom. Is God speaking to us through this miracle? You bet! Like Christ, serve only God’s will and purpose! With the risk to over spiritualize everything, there might be concrete details in our life stories that surely demonstrate God’s attempt to communicate his love for us. For example, in this wine crisis, Jesus’ response pointed to the new wine of the Kingdom of God which brings not temporary joy but eternal joy. My parents worked hard for everything they had. Their wish was that, one day, their children would have a better life. Well, the war displaced us and we lost almost everything. What did God communicate through that? Only God can establish people’s plans. Put your trust in God, not in your own reasoning! How can we learn to listen to God through his word, through creation, through our own crisis? Our world is changing fast every day, God does not abandon us in our desolate moments! Could it be that we don’t pay enough attention to see how loving, how steadfast, God has been in securing our peace, our salvation, our healing, our Shalom? I wish for us to be filled with all fullness of God, so we can listen when God speaks. Amen.

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