Sugar Daddy

Turn lemons into lemonade: You have undoubtedly heard this expression before, or something akin? It is a message of turn that frown upside down and it takes the listener from one point of view to another. Easier said than done? Sure, you are absolutely correct dear reader, because those of us who have sampled lemon juice from the source can attest to the fact that it can be mouth puckering with tartness! And that frown thing? When we are frowning it is because something is troubling us and hey, we all have the right to feel entitled to a bad day, mood, and attitude from time to time.

Not long ago while riding my bike, I indulged in some whining in conversation with God (this clearly was not a conversation, it was a monotonous monologue) that went something like this: You know God, I have a right to be hurt and angry, picture my face with self-righteous indignation plastered all over it, And God, if you take a look at the situation, you will agree that what I have been dealing with is harsh. Now picture me on the verge of a pity-party-tear-fest right out there on the public park pathways. And God... Next see me rounding a curve ready to up the anti and prosecutor like, make my case, God... Here envision my look of surprise! A bug has flown directly up my left nostril, stopping my mindless, self-indulgent nattering! This is when I started laughing and realized how ridiculous I sounded to myself! 

Was God listening to me? Sure he was, just like any parent does when their child takes to grumbling and wanting their own way, until smack, the parent says enough, I have heard enough, stop that whining. Did God make a bug fly up my nose? Perhaps, because I do believe God has a sense of humour, but it is doubtful. What is my point, you ask? My point is that there is a turn around point! There is always a way to change direction, to live from a new perspective, to laugh instead of cry. Recall, I was whining to God and while this is true, I also laughed full heartedly with him when that bug flew into the hanger known to me as my left nostril. 

God is the sweetness in my lemonade. God is the one that turns my frowns right side up. God hears my cries and turns them into laughter. God is my joy factor and love activator. God, is my Sugar Daddy. 

Yo, Water to What?

Yo, ma

Mary is at a wedding in the lovely town of Cana in Galilee when her son shows up with his boys, the disciples. Mary is a close family friend to the bride and groom and she notices, yikes, the party isn't over but the wine, she ran out! Jesus' mother Mary goes to her son and tells him "They have no more wine." Jesus is like, yo, ma, I don't mean to be all crass or anything but "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." Jesus is saying not now mother, my time to flex my miracle muscles has not yet arrived. 

Mary knows what hospitality looks like

Not to be dissuaded, Mary knows what needs to get done. She is all in when it comes to hospitality and serving up excellent food and drink to hungry guests. She wants to spare the bride and groom the embarrassment of not having enough for the people they invited to celebrate their amazing wedding day! Mary wastes no time in remedying the situation. She knows exactly what her son is capable of and she instructs the servants standing near by... "Do whatever he tells you to do." Picture Mary saying hey, you guys standing around in white, listen to my man/child, he can fix this thing, follow his instructions and this will all work out. 

A good son obeys his momma

Like all good sons, Jesus respects his momma, and He immediately gets to work, giving instructions to the servers, I mean servants. "Fill the jars with water"... the servers look at one another, exchanging a look of, what, we ran out of wine, not water buddy! This Jesus guy though, He has some kind of command and with a shrug, off they go to fetch water and fill up the six twenty to thirty gallon jars standing nearby, to the brim. Next He says "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." The first server scratches his head, grabs a pitcher and as the container fills with liquid, his eyes bulge! The H2O he had just poured into this jar is looking a whole lot like red stuff and wow, it smells like fermented grapes? He looks up from the pitcher filled with wine, he and Jesus make eye contact.

A behind the scenes secret insight

With a grin from ear to ear, the server with his secret insight, takes the transformed liquid to the master of the banquet. He tastes it and this wine, it tastes ... heavenly! He is delighted and impressed, calling the bridegroom aside, he says "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the quests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." 

Who is this guy?

People are staring at Jesus, jaws dropped. Who is this guy, and if He can turn water to wine, what else can He do? The disciples shove and wrestle with each other like school boys cuz they found the coolest guy to hang out with and they decide right there and then, they will follow him wherever he wants to go! Jesus grins and shakes his head, you ain't seen nothing yet boys ...

Modernizing the first miracle 

I took a liberty, dear reader, in modernizing the first miracle Jesus publicly performed. Jesus is living water, and He said, "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:54)

Jesus is sustenance, He is our bread, our water, our celebratory wine. He is life, and those that recognize Him as provider of all that is good, and give Him praise and thanks, are rewarded with eternal life! That, is a promise.

The world is currently chaotic. People are wondering where their next loaf of bread or bucket of water are going to come from. The bride and groom in Cana must have felt some concern too, about how they would be able to provide for themselves, and for guests, if their lack of wine was any indication of what their future would look like. In the wilderness wandering, which lasted forty years, shoes did not wear out, meat flew into camp, and manna descended like dew. Water came from rock and still, the people grumbled against God Almighty.

I guess, my point, dear reader, is how many miracles do we need to be assured that God is God? How many blessings are required before we realize that we do not sustain ourselves, and that God maintains all the universe for us to savour and enjoy?

● Jesus revealed Who He is at a wedding

● Jesus revealed Who He when He spoke the words, Your sins are forgiven

● Jesus revealed Who He is when He cast out demons, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, made the lame to walk, stopped bleeding and seizures, and raised the dead back to life

● Jesus revealed Who He is when He gave power to His disciples to go amongst the people, to preach the kingdom of God, and perform the same miracles of healing the sick He had demonstrated

● Jesus revealed Who He is on a cross. The temple veil was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. Time was rent, dear reader, makes by A.D and B.C

● Jesus revealed Who He is when He came out of the grave in bodily form by the power of God, because He is God

What more, dear reader, could we possibly required as proof, that no matter what we need, He can, will, and does, provide, when we ask.

I end on this astounding note found in the book of John 21:25

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen

God, is The Author of Life