It's a joy in our church family to be celebrating the engagements and anticipating the weddings of many people in recent days.  For the hebrew people the "Big Day' was actually the "Big Week".  While attending a week of wedding festivities, Jesus learns that the hosts have failed to provide enough wine - an egregious and shameful failure of hospitality - and he is asked to help.  There are two things to notice, firstly Jesus asks: "Woman, what does this have to do with me?  My hour has not yet come" (2:4).  This language ("the hour") often refers to the great events of salvation history which Jesus will enact in His death and resurrection.  Jesus says it's not yet His time to prepare and host a great wedding banquet - He has not yet given His life to redeem His bride.  That is the great celebration that we look forward to today, when we are together with Him who loved us forever.  Secondly, Jesus acts: "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine.  But you have kept the good wine until now" (2:10).  Jesus' first sign of turning some 180 gallons of water into wine (that's almost 4000 glasses of wine) is all about pointing to the future.  The new wine was a symbol in the prophets of the new life that people could enjoy in God's coming kingdom.  Jesus says that with Him that kingdom has arrived in part, even though the consummation of that kingdom awaits a still future hour.  There is a new life to participate in, to celebrate and to enjoy with Him - but with Jesus He always saves the best until last!

Pray Today:

• For the evangelistic and discipleship work taking place at the Edinburgh Sports Plus Camps this week.
• For those involved in summer missions at Keswick, Beach Missions, Faith Mission camps, and overseas (Latvia) at the moment.
• For the various workplace ministries and workers who are working for God and witnessing to Christ today.