Our sermon this week took a look at Jesus' first miracle recorded in John's gospel, commonly known as the wedding at Cana. We also focussed in on a passage in Philippians specifically the following phrase: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
The Philippians passage encourages us to bring everything to God in prayer. I immediately drew a connection between this passage and the time of reflection and sharing we've been practicing within worship the past 4 weeks. I pointed out that many of us (myself included) have at times experienced difficulty in recalling any occasion that God has been at work in our lives through. I then suggested that this difficulty may be because we are not asking God to be in our lives.
I shared about my mother who seems much better and bringing all things before God than most. She will even bring requests for better parking spots before the Lord. I know that many of us feel like God is too busy, or our requests too trivial to bother God, but the passage in Philippians is clear, we are to "present our requests to God". Not just our big problems, or our really important requests, but all requests!
This first half of this past week's message illustrates the need to bring all things before God in prayer. The second half takes its inspiration from Jesus' first miracle. In the story the text mentions that Jesus' mother, Jesus and all of his disciples had been invited to a wedding. We are then told that the wine ran out and Mary came to Jesus and said "They have no wine". Many of us read this as a statement of fact on Mary's part. It's interesting though, because with any written statement, often the meaning of the words can be shifted if only read with a different tone. For example, Mary could be saying this in a whiny voice and be complaining or even lamenting that they are out of wine. Mary could be saying these four words in a frightened tone and thus fearing the reality of a wedding without wine (a sober reception! Who's ever heard of such a thing). Finally Mary could be saying these words with a scolding tone and therefore accusing Jesus and his friends of in some way contributing to the wine shortage. It is this final example which I ran with. I suggested that the presence of Jesus and his 12 friends (all of whom almost certainly were not on the guest list) put a substantial strain on the wine supply. Therefore Mary was either a) suggesting that they stop drinking all the wine up, or b) that they pool their money together and go procure some more wine.
However you read this statement from Mary, it's important to note that she only states the problem. Mary does not give possible solutions to the problem. Often when we pray, we will lift up a problem or dilemma, and then offer the way in which God can fix things. For example, a relative is ill, but instead of lifting up that illness our prayers almost always include several solutions like healing, comfort, decreased pain, etc. Or another example could look like the teen who wants a new car and therefore prays to win the lottery. Such prayers not only bring a problem/request before God, but they also tell God that we've got it all figured out and if God will only do what we say, everything will be alright. Such prayers are very narrow and limiting, they leave out the possibility that God might be able to solve the problem in a way not previously thought of. With the example of the wine shortage, Jesus neither stopped drinking, nor did he go out and buy more wine. Instead he chose to turn water into wine (really good wine according to the passage) and provide plenty of wine for everyone. There certainly wasn't anyone in the room who had seen that as a possible solution!
The same is true for you and I. While we are asked to bring all things to God in prayer, we should be careful not to be too limited in how we pray. We are better served to do what Mary did, and state the problem, but leave the solution up to God. In the end who knows better, you a mortal, finite, created being or God the immortal, infinite, all-knowing, Creator?
So pray to God about all things, big and small, but always be sure to leave space for your amazing God to amaze you with the answer!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor John
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