Drunk on wine and loving life!

“Jesus turned water into wine—now that’s a God!” --Percy Jackson, Sea of Monsters

John 2 tells the story about Jesus’ first miracle: turning water into wine. I love this Bible passage for so many reasons! Jesus, the leader of our religious group, made about 180 gallons of wine to keep the party going because His mother, the holiest of women, told Him to. You just can’t go wrong with this story! I mean, this is the best spiritual story ever—I’m not making this stuff up! God isn't a prude—he loves to party! He’s not a moderate—He’s an extremist! This very important first miracle performed by Jesus should redefine holyf or those of us with a church background. Maybe holy doesn't mean to God what we think it means!

Jesus made water into wine and the church has been trying to change it back ever since.

Jesus’ holy broke many religious rules to give us a better look at God the Father. The water pots Jesus used were already filled with ceremonial water used to wash the body for religious purposes.  Jesus had the servants top off each water pot with more water so there was no room in the jars for any other liquid, and Jesus turned all that water into wine. The symbolism alone could get you drunk: what was meant for washing externally would instead be used to wash internally; rather than falling off the body, it would be consumed by the body; instead of an outward change, it would change a person from the inside out.  And all this changing and purification would be done not in some staunchy ceremony but at a loud, lavish party that had been raging on for days! Jesus’ holy makes us feel light and free with the intoxication of His love. His holy gives us glad hearts that no longer carry the heaviness of the injustices that can pile up in this life. He wants us to drink in His love until we are carried away in the BLISS of His extreme affection for us! The problem with wine is that it does something to us:  we lose control. The wine of Jesus’ love wrecks us and we’re never the same, He makes us holy.  Jesus started His ministry with wine and ended it with Passover wine—then he became the drink offering at the cross, spilling Himself out for us. Holiness isn't rigid and stoic and cold, it's the most passionate, loving ecstasy anyone's ever experienced! Beautiful!

“Drink your fill, O lovers!” Song of Solomon 5:1

Jesus goes to extremes for you! He can’t get enough of you! He loves everything about you—even your flaws are beautiful to Him! We are often instructed to love God, to worship Him, and that’s important; but today, take some time to pause and let GOD tell you how much He loves you just the way you are!

Think about that until you melt into your chair. Go on, get loaded!