An insane request from god

Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the person in charge of the banquet.” So they took it. When the person in charge tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), that person called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
John 2:7-11 NRSVUE

It was a great wedding in the city of Cana, and everyone who was anyone was there. Jesus, the disciples, Jesus’ mom. And whether by poor planning or because everyone was having a little too much fun (if there is such a thing), the wine runs out right in the middle of the festivities. This is a catastrophe at any party, from ancient times until now; and we all know the hero—the friend who is perpetually late but shows up with more booze or the God who turns water into wine. 

Jesus had not yet performed His first miracle when His mom, Mary, comes to him with what can only be described as a mother’s request—“They have no wine.” It’s a mother’s request because it’s not posed as an actual request or question. It’s a simple problem statement with a clear underlying message—“You’re my son and I know what you’re capable of. Now would be a good time to use that power.” Then, turning that mom-power on the servants, she tells them to “Do whatever He tells you.” So, when Jesus makes the most ludicrous request for them to fill six enormous stone jars with water, they comply. 

We have the benefit of hindsight, so it makes sense to us why Jesus wants them to fill the water jars. We know that the water is going to turn into wine. However, the servants did not know this. Mary did not know this. The disciples did not know this. I imagine, then, that when Jesus tells the servants to do the insanely laborious task of trudging back and forth to the water well, which was probably not that close to the wedding venue, to fill six 20-30 gallon stone jars, everyone had some questions. 

When has God asked you to do something utterly ridiculous and illogical? Maybe it was taking a new job or changing your career path. Maybe it was showing up somewhere you needed to be but didn’t know it at the time. I don’t know about you, but every time my life is about to pivot, God asks me to do something utterly insane—like leave my very stable job to lead The Hearth with zero training and go back to school for four years. But everyone I’ve met in seminary has a call story that makes no sense. Many are international students who left everything they know in their home country and are on tenuous student visas, hoping they renew each year so they can finish their program. Many students are in the middle of starting families, attempting to read dry theological discourses on 2-3 hours of sleep because their newborn still isn’t sleeping through the night. However, when God asks you to do something illogical, usually it’s more like a mother Mary request. You don’t say no. Besides, like my sister likes to say, “Asking people to do things that don’t make sense is kind of God’s MO.”    

It may not make sense at the time of the request, and it may not make sense during the days, months, or even years that you’re responding to the request. However, just like the servants at the wedding, God usually reveals God’s purpose after we faithfully follow through. There are no promises that answering God’s call and following the purpose God places on our lives will be easy. There is no promise that it will make sense. In fact, many of the Biblical stories feature people doing really hard things that don’t make sense to them at the time; but through their faith and trust in God, they live into the purpose to which God has called them and are rewarded by being a part of a Divine miracle.