Mary: Do whatever He tells you
God’s People on Mission
Mary: Do whatever He tells you
Anyone who knows our family and the big event happening for us right now, probably won’t be surprised that my thinking is almost all about weddings at the moment. John tells us that the first recorded miracle performed by Jesus in His ministry happens at a wedding, though it seems it might have come earlier than His ministry was due to begin.
Jesus was at the celebration, a small group of the disciples were there with Him because the ministry, it seems, was soon to get underway. And Mary, Jesus’ mother was also there, and it is she that precipitates the miracle, seemingly against Jesus’ planning.
The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told Him, “They have no more wine.” (John 2:3)
This was not just a downer on the festivities, it was a grave embarrassment to the couple and their families. And so Mary comes to her son, who is also her Lord, and asks Him to step in.
It might not have been on Jesus’ program to launch His ministry this way, and to have this as the event that first magnifies Him in the eyes of His disciples, but we should be aware that He would have had concern for those at the heart of this event.
Mary knew her son, she knew His heart, and so even though it seems that she might be bringing Him into something that He’d intended on staying out of, I don’t believe we see any evidence that Mary had to twist His arm.
“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:4 – 5)
There are two things that challenge and encourage me from Mary’s actions. The first is that she obviously knows Jesus well. She knows His heart and concern for people, and while events we read in the Bible are not always detailed enough to make too many assumptions, it seems to indicate that she has confidence in how she believes Jesus will act.
I’m challenged about my own walk with Jesus. As I speak about Him with others, and as I approach the Lord in prayer: Do I know His heart? Do I have any level of confidence that my words and my prayers would align with His.
We might say that it is difficult to have a level of intimacy with our Lord that is anywhere near as close as Mary had. But I’ve heard living saints speak about Jesus, and pray in such a way that it is clear that through a great knowledge and veneration of God’s Word, along with a deep commitment to prayer and walking closely with the Lord, though it may be rare, it is certainly achievable and should be all of our greatest longing and endeavour.
The second thing I notice from Mary’s actions comes out from this close knowledge of and walk with the Lord. She doesn’t need to know the mechanics of what Jesus will do, and how things will be achieved. She trusts Him! Completely!
I know this can be hard. I’ve been known to want to micro-manage things, and to get involved in places I’m not required. But Mary simply pointed to Jesus, and then got out of the way.
There are many things we can learn from Jesus’ first recorded miracle, and I believe that aspiring to model the actions and character of Mary would be among the most important of them. I know we can tend to steer clear of Mary as an example to follow because of the place she has been given by many. But in doing that we miss some important lessons.
Let’s commit ourselves to grow in our knowledge of the Lord, to know His heart, to follow Him obediently. Let us speak of Him, and pray in such a way that stems from this growing relationship. And let us trust Him completely, especially as we act and speak of Him to others.
