Nobody Wants A Disastrous Wedding

When we informed the people in our lifegroup that we'll have a wedding in the lifegroup this week, everyone got so excited! And this is usually how people feel towards weddings. Everyone gets so excited, expecting wonderful things to happen during that day. They anticipate seeing a beautiful bride in white, a groom looking lovingly at his bride, people laughing and crying during the ceremony, great food and some serious dancing during the reception.

Weddings are usually festive. Well, that's what we all want it to be. After all, we've done all the preparations to make it a perfect day. No one wants to witness any disasters unfolding during their wedding. The groom suddenly did not turn-up. A bad weather ruined the perfect garden set-up. The catering van was stuck in a traffic jam. The bride stepped on her gown and slipped during the wedding march.

Weddings are usually festive. Well, that's what we all want it to be. 

In Jewish tradition, a wedding feast is  usually held at the home of the groom or the groom’s family member. The wedding feast could last for 7 days. Much longer than the usual 3-hour wedding we nowadays are accustomed to. The groom holds the feast in abundance, in as much as he or his family could afford. There’s overflowing food and wine for the guests. Since the feast lasts for as long as 7 days, this required the food and wine to last until the very last day as well. It would be a source of shame if there weren't enough food and wine to carry on with the celebrations.

In John Chapter 2, verses 1-12, when Jesus attended a wedding in Cana, the groom was about to be embarrassed in front of all his guests. There was no more wine. Mary, upon realizing what was happening approached Jesus and asked him for help. So Jesus went to the kitchen and asked the servants to fill 6 jars with water. Take note that these jars held some water which were used for ceremonial washing. Imagine the bowl of water on the table when you eat at a restaurant where you need to use your hands. Yup, like Singapore's Chili Crab restos. However, during that time, Jewish people didn't only wash their hands, but their face, arms and feet as well. So imagine 6 huge jars with some water that's been used in that manner. And that was the same water that Jesus turned into wine. Non-potable water was turned into the best wine.

Non-potable water was turned into the best wine. 

Just imagine how embarrassed the groom would have been if Jesus did not intervene. 

There would be no wine at all. Or maybe the master of the feast puked after drinking the filthy water. It would be the last working day of the poor servants. And the groom. Well... A lot of would be talking about him and his wedding for weeks. Just that they won't be talking about nice things.

A wedding is perhaps one of the most significant events in a person’s life. This is where he presents himself and what he has achieved, what he has gained, how much he has saved up. Whether he managed to get a good wife. Whether he had earned enough to throw a lavish party. He gets to show all these things to the most important people in his life. His family, his relatives, his friends, his colleagues.

Just as how Mary, has come to Jesus when the wine has run out, this is often how we go through life. We always plan our lives to be perfect, far from being disastrous, free from worries and problems. We don't invite anything that will shake the comfort and security that we enjoy. We always want our family and friends to be proud of us, that they will always see how we acquired what we wanted and how we always get things pulled-together. We try to control our situations to avoid certain things from happening. We work so hard to avoid losing our job. We don't spend unnecessarily and we always save up for unforeseen circumstances. We restrain ourselves from eating fatty foods or our favorite dessert so we'll always be healthy. 

But life has a way of messing with our plans. Always. It has a way of always sending unexpected events to our way. When we are caught by surprise, then we come to Jesus.

In Matthew 16, this is what Jesus told his disciples about relying on themselves in trying to preserve their lives:

Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?"

Today, come to Jesus and exchange your stock of filthy waters with the loads of good wine that God has prepared for you. He is offering you something better, actually the best. And if your life was a wedding, Jesus will pour out wine on your life that will cause the celebration. And this celebration lasts for a lifetime.

Choose To Praise

In Psalm 22, we can read the anguish of someone waiting upon God:

Verse 1: 

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? I have cried desperately for help, but still it does not come. 

Verse 8:

“You relied on the Lord,” they say. “Why doesn't he save you? If the Lord likes you, why doesn't he help you?” 

And at times, this is exactly how we feel. 

When we have prayed for so long and still we are waiting for answers. When hope is starting to fade. When people around us start tormenting us and challenge us to question God's love for us.

Hope Filipino Church is currently having a 21-day thanksgiving. Three Sundays of giving thanks to God for the things that He has done. And also thanking God in advance of the things that He will do.  So we choose to sing instead of cry. We choose to praise instead of question. We choose to believe instead of doubt.

When the Apostle Paul was in prison, he did the same thing. He was singing and praying.  And in Acts 16:26, while he was doing this, SUDDENLY... 

"there was a violent earthquake, which shook the prison to its foundations. At once all the doors opened, and the chains fell off all the prisoners."

Psalm 22:26
 "The poor will eat and be satisfied.
    All who seek the Lord will praise him.
    Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy."

As we choose to praise and maintain a grateful attitude, I declare that we would all experience this SUDDENLY moment, that instant breakthrough that comes from God.