May 27, 2024 Devo

Does it seem funny to you that Jesus went to a wedding? I mean, here He is with a limited window of time to fulfill His ministry and establish the Kingdom of God. There are people to heal, sermons to preach, Pharisees to confront, an atoning death to die, and a resurrection to perform. Who has time for social events? Jesus did. He LOVED them. Check out how many times in the Gospels you see Jesus showing up at festivals, celebrations, and dinner parties. He was quite the social butterfly that way.
But there was intentionality to what Jesus did. Jesus went to parties because that’s where people were. Not only that, but people are more REAL at parties. Think about it. Go to church, and most people are dressed properly, they sit quietly, and then they leave without much conversation. But not at parties. At parties, people linger. They talk, they laugh, they let their hair down. My guess is that Jesus engaged people in a lot more honest and vulnerable conversations at parties than He did in the synagogue or temple. Jesus wanted people to experience a real God who could make a real difference in their lives. So He took every opportunity to meet them in places where THEY would be real.
Have you ever thought about inviting Jesus to YOUR parties? Almost all of us have events like the one we find in our passage today. Weddings, graduations, family reunions, pool parties, dinner parties, school parties, and work parties. We often spend a ton of thought and preparation on what to serve, what decorations to put up, and what kind of napkins and flatware to use. But have you ever thought about inviting Jesus?
At your next celebration, I want to challenge you to invite Jesus to come be a part. Everyone you know who is coming needs Jesus to touch them in one way or another. Some need healing in their lives. Some are struggling with guilt and need to find forgiveness. Some are feeling lonely and depressed and need to be encouraged. Some are looking for answers that only He can provide. Ask Jesus to be a guest. Ask Him to make the conversations open and real. Ask Him to move among the believers that are present that they would have open ears, open hearts, and an open mind as to how Jesus might want to use them as His Ambassadors. There was a wedding in Cana that would have been an ordinary, forgettable event. But instead, a miracle happened that day. Maybe a miracle will happen at YOUR next celebration. Invite Jesus to your party and find out. That’s God’s Word for you today.