My favorite miracle of Jesus has to be his first one. Water into wine. To that I say a big "O ya!" Anyone who disputes wine as being unbiblical can just go to John 2. This is what God does with all of our lives. He turns water into wine. Nothing into something. Ashes into beauty. Sinners into Saints. Ugly into beautiful. Weakness into strength. The process of making wine intrigues me, there is something deep here that we shouldn't miss. For if we miss this, we'll miss the beauty of the process that leads to joy. Let me explain...
from my October 25, 2010 journal:
I don't want to be brash, hasty, or impatient. Lord you are teaching me your time is best.
"How wonderful, How lovely is Your name, You captivate our hearts, You save us by Your grace"-Leeland
Let me just add to that song, how lovely is Your way God, Your way is grace. It is all grace.
Let me just add to that song, how lovely is Your way God, Your way is grace. It is all grace.
Even when You make me wait, it's grace, because You are showing me more of Your love. You are just saving it up, You are preparing a great feast, we will say of You God, "You have kept the good wine until now!" John 2:10
My life is like wine -the more I wait for the wine, the better it will be.
God is fermenting my life.. making it better.. I'm going from grape juice to wine...
God is doing something in the fermenting process.
He is making something beautiful here in the darkness.
Something beautiful is happening in the silence, in the quiet.
He is making all things good, and all things better than they were ever before
Ughh... Lord you are so good!
The word's greatest pleasures will run down, will deplete, erode, fade...
but with God we go deeper & deeper into fullness, into abundance. It just gets better & better ...
We drink of God's water but soon, soon, we will drink deep, sweet, full wine..this is the Resurrection
Like good wine, God's servant is most valuable when taken through much pressure & difficulty that in the end brings much glory & everlasting joy
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
Isaiah 61:3
and to help the sorrowing people of Jerusalem.
I will give them a crown to replace their ashes,
and the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow,
and clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness.
Then they will be called Trees of Goodness,
trees planted by the Lord to show his greatness.
Isaiah 61:7
Instead of being ashamed, my people will receive twice as much wealth.
Instead of being disgraced, they will be happy because of what they receive.
They will receive a double share of the land,
so their happiness will continue forever.
Psalm 30:5
Crying may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Like good wine, God's servant is most valuable when taken through much pressure & difficulty that in the end brings much glory & everlasting joy
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
Isaiah 61:3
and to help the sorrowing people of Jerusalem.
I will give them a crown to replace their ashes,
and the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow,
and clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness.
Then they will be called Trees of Goodness,
trees planted by the Lord to show his greatness.
Isaiah 61:7
Instead of being ashamed, my people will receive twice as much wealth.
Instead of being disgraced, they will be happy because of what they receive.
They will receive a double share of the land,
so their happiness will continue forever.
Psalm 30:5
Crying may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
"He makes wine that makes glad the heart of man" Psalm 104:15
"Isn't it just like you to make wine out of dirty water" -"Mud Song" by The Blackthorn Project
"Out of the presses of pain, comes the soul's best wine" -Streams in the Desert
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