The Water Basin

I have had the privilege of working as a volunteer and staff person in a church for most of my life. One of the things that can sneek up on me is feeling inadiquate or ill-equipped for a task set before me. A few years ago, the Holy Spirit had me read through Jesus' first miracle, the turning of water into wine at the wedding at Cana. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%202:1-11&version=NIV )

I read through it and, as I had done many time before, considered how cool it must be to see water change into something different. It was at that point I felt the Holy Spirt nudge me to look again at the six water jars. I thought ok, right, water jars... they had to use something. But then, the Holy Spirit began to show me some things I had never seen before.

Imagine putting yourself there with me at the wedding. The guests are there, and it is possible that Jesus and the disciples were late additions to the wedding. While there, the wine (should have been Dr Pepper... but all weddings can't have the best I suppose) has run out. There is not a party killer worse than running out of food and drink to early.

We hear Mary tell Jesus to do something about it. He trys to remind her that the Heavenly Father gives him direction, not necessaryly the people he is close to, including mom. But, she says something really dramatic. She does not argue with Jesus, she ignores his slight rebuke and tells the servants to do whatever Jesus says. Now, if I'm there, I'd be thinking he'd say get lost, no way, catch ya later or something like that.

But, he doesn't. He tells the servants fill the six stone jars full of water. Now, wait a minute. Why not, "Bring some wine skins!" or "Find the ceramic vases!" No, he tells them to fill the washing jars full of water. Once again, I am supprised! Why in the world would he want them to fill the sink / bath tub full of water. Its not like Dawn or Ivory is handy! I mean, the FOOT TUB is to be filled with water. What could he possibly want to do with that?

The servants do as requested. So, Jesus then tells them to draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. Now, I don't know what the pay is during Jesus time to be a caterer. But, I would have to think that serving the master of the banquet water full of foot slime and other mud washed off, would not be the best choice for job security.

You see, I don't know where the water became wine. Was it in the stone jar? The cup/ladle that they carried to the master? Or, when it hit his tounge? It doesn't really say in verse 9. It just says that it is the best tasting wine at the banquet.

Then it hit me. Jesus choice the most common vessle available. He did not worry about how it looked, or more especially, where it had been. A vessle that had the worst mud and dirt cast in it. The one that no one really wanted to clean. The "catch-all" of the grime from the streets. The thing that mattered was what HE put on the inside. wow...

The Holy Spirit reminded me that when someone has a need. I am not the one to fill it. He is. So, no matter what I think of myself, He can change whatever is in me (muddy, stagnant water, etc) to the best wine. The key is, He is the wine maker.

If He asks you to bless someone, or puts you in a spot to represent Him. Then its ok if you think of yourself as to common or to unusable. Don't look to what you see are better vessels, but allow the Holy Spirit to pour out the wine to those around you.

Be the vessel that carries the wine to those in need. Let Him fill and change you today!

- Blessings, Bobby

Musings

There are times that find me contemplating my place in this world. I know it is nothing new or suprising. I suppose the opposite would be true; it would be a suprise to find someone that has never considered this... People have tried every imaginable way to construct a box that will contain all that they see and understand around them, and then show their box to others.

There are alway the "classic" boxes: Plato, Aristotle, Decartes, Plank, Neitzsche... the list of philosophers is longer than the space allowed, that desired to explain to the world that they had a handle on their box. Then there are the "monument builder" boxes: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon... other warrior kings throughout history that sought to force the world around them to live in their box. Of course, there are the "religious" boxes: Budda, Confuscious (maybe he is in the classic...), Muhammad, Joseph Smith... many more lesser known spiritual leaders that created a box of the spiritual world with physical world tools.

Rolling through such a huge list of options can be overwhelming. Who can possibly be right? Can any one man pull together musings, observations, feelings, experiences and thoughts in the short amount of time available and come up with something lasting and plausible?

It is sometimes amazing to see the arrogance associated with the writings of so many others that are convinced that they have the best box for all.

If only someone could gather the experiences of people into one place where their view from inside thier own box could be examined. (paradigm=view of the world=box for this discussion...)

The teachings of Lao Tzu are a great list of wisdom and stories. But, very little that would apply to the connection of man to a spiritual world. (Great box, but no known value to the holder.) The Bhagavad Gita is a beautiful song / story of the emotions and preparations of two great heros preparing for battle. But, little practical knowlege of how it relates to me. (Beautiful box, but no explaination on how I can own one.)

If only there were a collection of stories that contained both construction and purchasing instructions for a box to help me view the world and my place in it...

if only...