The Measure of Faith

The gospels make clear that whatever measure of faith we receive is up to us.

“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’” (John 2:1-3, ESV).

Have you ever run out of anything? Perhaps patience for your rebellious child? Hope for your marriage? At this wedding in Cana, Jesus’s mother, Mary, saw that the celebration had run out of wine. So she went to Jesus and said, “Do something.”

Jesus replied, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). Mary could have accepted her son’s reply as a firm edict, thinking, “Well, it has been sovereignly declared from heaven that wine won’t be multiplied at this wedding.” Instead, she acted like a good Jewish mother and ignored her son’s response. “His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” (John 2:5).

Theologically, I am very big on the sovereignty of God. I believe nothing happens unless he decrees it, but sometimes God’s sovereign decree is, “I’m leaving this up to you.” The clear impression from this passage is that Jesus was not going to act on Mary’s request. He even had a solid theological reason for it: “My time has not yet come.” God hadn’t yet announced his public ministry.

Mary could not wait on the calendar of heaven. She needed God to move immediately, and so the calendar moved! “Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’ So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, …[he] called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.’” (John 2:7-10). This was not just “replacement” wine. It was the very best!

A miracle occurred, surpassing even Mary’s expectations, yet things could have been very different. She might have been discouraged by Jesus’s response. She might have accepted his words at face value, agreeing, “I guess it’s not the right time.” Instead, she called upon the power of heaven to move on her behalf, depending on God’s love with full faith.