When they filled them to the brim

John 2:1-11 When they filled them to the brim
There was a wedding banquet at Cana in Galilee. Usually the big events like the wedding banquet in the old Israel lasted about 6 days, because they had to keep the Sabbath day holy. Jesus' mother Mary came to the place earlier than other guests because she had to prepare some special foods for the banquet. On the third day Jesus and his disciples came there, "Oh, long time no see ! Congratulations !" "Come on over and have some special foods !" While Jesus was eating with his disciples, Mary came and said to him, "They have no more wine."
As you know, there is not much water in Israel. So wine was used as a beverage, and wine was the essential food for the banquets. But wine was out of stock. And Jesus did not solve the problem at once. He said to his mother, "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." And she went off to the kitchen again. Of course, they had prepared enough wine for the banquet. But it became out of stock. It means that our life is not easy as we think.
The families of the bride and groom were embarrassed. After Jesus finished eating, he said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." If the servants did not do as Jesus had told them, the miracle would not happen to them. But they filled them to the brim because Mary had told them, "Do whatever he tells you." Jesus told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."
"What a nonsense ! The master of the banquet ordered us to bring wine. If we take water to him, maybe we will be rebuked or slapped." But the servants obeyed Jesus even though they did not understand. The master of the banquet tasted the water and said, "What a nice wine ! Excellent !" And the other guests also said "Excellent ! It is the best wine that I have ever tasted !"
If there was no the miracle of Jesus, there grief would become grief still and all, and their problem would be same problem. But with the miracle of Jesus, their grief turned into joy, their problem turned into blessing. Likewise I want your problems to be turned into joy and happiness. And I hope that your sigh will be turned into the song of joy with the miracle of Jesus.
Today's scripture tells us the secret of the miracle, "He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew."(John 2:9) It means that the obedient persons know the secret of miracle. If the servants did not fill them to the brim, the miracle would not happen to them. I pray that you also fill them to the brim, that means 'Be fully obedient to Jesus.', so that you may see the miracle of Jesus. My beloved, I want you to pray to the brim, love them to the brim, endure to the brim, work for the Lord to the brim.
In 2 King chapter 5, we can see the story about Naaman. He was the commander of the army of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. One day Naaman heard from a young girl whom Aram had gone out and had taken captive from Israel, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria ! He would cure him of his leprosy."(2 Kings 5:3)
Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel has said. The king of Aram replied, "By all means, go. I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. The letter that he took to the king of Israel read ; "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy."(2 Kings 5:6)
As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, "Am I God ? Can I kill and bring back to life ? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy ? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me !"(2 King 5:7)
When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message ; "Why have you torn your robes ? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel."(2 Kings 5:8) So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a message to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."(2 Kings 5:10)
But Naaman felt insulted and went off in rage. Naaman's servant said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it ? How much more, when he tells, 'Wash and be cleansed' !" So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan once, twice... six times. But nothing happened to him. But just after seven times, as the man of God had told him, his flesh was restored and clean like that of a young boy. Hallelujah !
If he did not dip himself in the Jordan up to seven times, his flesh would be same. But his full obedience made him completely clean. Just as the full obedience changed the water into the wine, just as the full obedience made Naaman clean, it is same to us that the miracles of God happen by our full obedience. When we fill it to the brim, the miracle happens to us.
People say, "Why God have not solved my problems ?" It is because they have not filled it to the brim. Just as the city of Jericho collapsed when the Israelites marched around the city seven times, and just as we have to complete the number of school days for graduation, and just as we have to fulfill the mortgage fee for ownership, we have to fill it to the brim for the answer of God.
These days I have been praying in the church from 12pm to 2 am everyday. It's the act of filling for God's answer. Without the full of prayer, I know that the miracle of God does not happen to me. My beloved, let's fill it to the brim, so that we may enjoy the miracles of God, and enjoy happy life everyday. Amen !