You Are God's Chosen Vessel

Are You Properly Postured in Obedience?

“Whatever He says to do, do it” (John 2:5).

This is Mary’s charge to the servants at the wedding of Cana. A directive we would do well to heed. For this is perfect theology – whatever Jesus says to do, whatever is written in Scripture, do it. Whatever Holy Spirit brings to remembrance or nudges you to do, do it. For these seven words bring transformation.

And Mary knew this well. When we first meet her in the Scripture she is a young virgin who responds to the Angel of the Lord’s “with God nothing shall be impossible” declaration with equally powerful words:

Let it be to me according to your word” Luke 1:38

And some believe this is the moment the Holy Spirit overshadowed her and she conceived – the moment she came into agreement with the word spoken to her.

Fast forward to the wedding – Mary has had over thirty years to ponder many things in her heart; she knows who Jesus is and she knows it is in His power to do something about the wine that has run out and so she announces to Jesus the wine has run out. And she is not put off by Jesus’ seeming indifference to the situation, telling her it is not yet His time. She pushes right past that and decides something will be done, one way or another. Mary operates with the same faith as when the Angel of the Lord encountered her as a young maiden.

And the result is a miracle. Jesus instructs the servants to fill six waterpots with water. Six waterpots that were on hand. Six waterpots that were used for washing and purification. Six – the number of man.

And the servants fill these pots to the brim- reminiscent of the widow woman who was told to fill her vessels with oil. Vessels are meant to be filled, not halfway, but to capacity, and this is what these men did. And as they took it, as they moved in obedience to the instruction given, the water turned to wine and they were equally astounded as the master of the feast who tasted the wine. For they also became vessels of the miracle as they went forth in obedience.

And like the servants in this story, we are God’s vessels for the miracles He is doing today. He is the One who turns water into wine, but we are the vessels He pours through. We have the privilege to pray and to participate in His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. This is the miracle – that we are His chosen vessels. And by faith we respond, by faith we act, and by faith we pour.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJ