BY GREG CRUM

“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.” John 2:1-4

We read here in the Gospel of John the first of Jesus’ many miracles while he walked the Earth before his crucifixion. I’m sure that over the centuries since this event many have pondered on the “hows” and the “whys” of this first miracle, and an understanding of those is important, yet, whenever I read of this event I’m struck by something else, and that’s the intimacy of this miraculous occurrence.

Think about it. God could have chosen to have Jesus work any of his miracles first. He could have raised the dead, opened the eyes of the blind, fed the multitudes with a few loaves and fish. These were all grand miracles on a grand scale for large audiences to see and be amazed, but instead, God chose for Jesus to work a miracle for an unknown couple so they could “save face” on their wedding day. Why? Was it to prove Jesus could do anything? Maybe that’s a part of it, but I think there’s more to it than that. I believe it was more to show God would do anything! 

There are some, even some Christians, that scorn those that believe God desires to be intimately and actively involved in our daily lives. They say we treat the Almighty like He is our “personal Genie” and that we shouldn’t expect God to answer prayer concerning the small details of life. They believe that those things are up to us to figure out on our own. Here’s the thing that I think they fail to see: It’s not that most of us think of God as our Genie, to do as we command and grant us our every wish. It’s just that we know God is big enough to be God of the small things too! He’s a God of the small things, too, because He’s big enough and He cares enough to meet our every need. 

 Remember when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness? There was a certain segment of the population that got tired of manna and began to question whether God cared enough and was big enough to feed the multitude the meat they craved. Boy, did God show them! He told them that He’d send them enough that they’d not eat just one meal, but for a whole month, and then proceeded to rain down quail until they were 6 feet deep in birds, a day’s journey in either direction! God’s message? I’m able to take care of the Universe and supper too! 

Brothers and sisters, God is big enough, strong enough, and wise enough to be concerned with every aspect of our lives. Let’s not doubt his ability to take care of the smallest of our concerns. Let’s trust Him and allow Him to be the caretaker of us that He desires to be.

Greg Crum is pastor of Calvary Temple Church in Lovely.