Text Message for the Week of January 20, 2013
Scriptures: Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11
Background: The lectionary this week pairs prophetic words of reassurance (Isaiah) with Jesus’ first miracle. While wedding imagery is part of both, what they really have in common is the revelation of God’s grace which overcomes both alienation and scarcity. The question for us to consider is what light (Epiphany!) we find in the passages.
Think and talk: The Prophet Isaiah is actually telling God what to do, calling on God, who has punished Israel for disobedience, to now restore his people for the sake of his love. Since faith is usually understood as trust in God’s plan not our own, how does Isaiah’s honest and insistent request fit into that picture? Is there a place in prayer for making demands of God?
Looking around: Jesus’ miracle simply keeps the party going. Note that there are few witnesses and no testimony or claims on Jesus’ part, as if miraculously supplying a party for the sake of the party is enough of a message on its own. Enjoying life’s gifts seems to be a difficult message for Christians to embrace. Why do you think that is? What part does the enjoyment of life play in your spiritual journey? Is there something you can do this week to enjoy what God has given you?