Anglican Morning Devotion, 26 October 2021 Anno Domini
A ministry of the Agnlican Orthodox Communion of Churches Worldwide
“And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.” (John 2:5-8; all scripture quoted is from the King James Version)
In order to emphasize the high regard in which the Lord holds the institution of Marriage, our Lord chose a Wedding celebration as the venue for His first miracle at Cana of Galilee. As with most Weddings in the East, wine is expected to flow in abundance – not grape juice, but fermented wine. “A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry.” (Ecclesiastes 10:19)
It was this drink whose supply expired at the Wedding Feast at which our Lord was guest. The people of the East are meticulous hosts in their feasting, and one thing must not run short during such an important occasion – wine! The fermented fruit of the vine not only makes the heart grow merry, it also stands as an illustration for the warmth felt in the heart when the Holy Spirit takes sole control thereof.
In every gesture, step, and act of the Lord Jesus Christ, there are lessons to be learned by the interested observer. This event is no exception. It has a profound meaning for the divine institution of Marriage as a model and foreshadow of the relationship between Christ and His Church; but there are other lessons to be learned as well. When it was brought to the Lord’s attention by His mother, Mary, that the wine was exhausted, there were six waterpots set before Him with a capacity of five or six gallons each. These were now empty. The Lord commanded that these be filled up with water, and, without hesitation, the servants did so – to the brim! There could be no question that only water was in the pots for they were filled to the brim with water.
When a man or woman is called by the Lord, there must be no hesitation. A man who tries to escape that calling will waste his life in the effort and will end up much like Jonah. But those who respond without question will be equipped for service – they will be filled to the brim with the knowledge necessary for service and the Holy Ghost as their Guide and Compass. Do not forget the servant’s role in the matter. First, our souls must be made empty of the wine of this world to receive that of Heaven. Then, we must fill our empty vessels with a sound abundance of God’s Holy Word and with an unsurpassed measure of love for God and for His people.
Having been filled with the truth and love of God, we must DRAW on that limitless resource in service to others. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Some believers are made wealthy for the purpose of sharing that wealth with the less fortunate. No man whose heart is filled with love can allow his neighbor to starve while his own pantry is filled with bread. Likewise, no man knowing the saving Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ can horde the secret while his fellow man perishes for lack of knowledge. The messenger who fails to publish the message shall be destroyed along with those to whom he is sent. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4:6 (KJV)
Having been filled with the very Water of Life, and having drawn from that deep Well of Salvation ourselves, we now have a duty and an obligation, under the terms of love, to share the glorious news with all comers. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalms 126:5-6)
Be mindful of the fact that in serving this Water of Life and Wine of the Holy Spirit that we do not neglect to partake of it ourselves continually. Having tasted that gracious gift, and inwardly digested the same, our very lives must also serve to inform others of the goodness of God wrought through your own lives as a result of being so filled. Though our words are sermons, so must our lives be living sermons that match the Godly words we preach – Fill, Draw, Bear!
