Jesus the joy-bringer

Before Jesus began His public ministry, he was invited to a wedding in Cana with His mother Mary and several of His disciples. At the wedding, Jesus revealed Himself as a bringer of joy in real-time life situations when He turned water into wine because the wine ran out.
Jesus protected the honour of the bridegroom’s family. The family and guests were happily unaware of the good wine Jesus made. Wine here is symbolic of God’s grace and our resultant joy ( cf. Isa. 25:6–9; Joel 3:18).
Here’s an important lesson we can glean: Jesus was invited. That is all it takes; inviting Jesus and opening our life before Him. It does not take stretching exercises or killing ordinary joys of life. Many run away from God as if he is a hard taskmaster. The reality is just the opposite. When the presence of Jesus is with us, our joy is complete.
Do you find yourself in a rough spot? Are things looking grimmer than you expected? The great problem that attends life under the sun is the fleeting pleasure found in our attempts to enjoy God’s gifts “apart from him” (Eccl. 2:25). This approach to life is a futile quest doomed to dissatisfaction. It is an attempt to get from God’s world what can only be found in God (Rom. 1:21–25). It is a wine glass that is empty too soon. It is a party that runs out of joy (John 2:3).
Did you know that changing water into wine involved a fundamental change in the molecular makeup of the water? In that instance, Jesus manifested His glory as Creator and Sustainer of life. Another vital lesson is to focus less on the wine and instead focus more on the winemaker. The wedding guests never got to know the ‘Winemaker’ because they were too focused on the wine. Whatever it is, don’t let us not take our eyes off the Lord.