Daily Lenten Devotion for 3/2

“Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim.” – John 2:7

No matter how uncomfortable it makes us as teetotaling Methodists, we cannot escape that the first of Jesus’ signs is the turning water into wine at a wedding feast at Cana. In essence, Jesus’ first miracle is to save a wedding reception from becoming lame.

I am not saying that alcohol is what makes a reception fun, and that the lack of alcohol makes a reception lame. I have been to receptions flowing with every type of booze, and they were lame, and I’ve been to receptions with no alcohol in sight that were a blast.

What I am saying is that this passage contains the truth that all party-throwers know: you have to make your guests want to be there. If you’re having your wedding reception at a ballpark, your guests better like sports. If you plan to have lots of kids there, you’ll want kids meals and fun activities for them. And if you’re throwing a wedding for a bunch of chocoholics, might I suggest this?

So for the sake of avoiding a moral argument about alcohol, let’s just pretend it was the chocolate fountain that ran out, and Jesus turned water into chocolate. Whatever the medium Jesus worked, the point is the wedding at Cana is going downhill, and fast. Jesus’ mother is worried (as mothers tend to be at weddings), but he seems pretty chill about the situation. Nevertheless, he bails out the groom and makes him look pretty good in front of all of his guests. And the weddings guests “party on!”

So the introduction of Jesus the miracle worker is a guy who wants us to keep on partying. The first of his many signs is that we are to live life to the fullest. He came that we may have life abundantly – Christ wants us to live, not just stand in the corner crying because the keg is tapped out. Jesus wants us to party on. At the beginning of his ministry, he sends a message. And that message is, as our resident bishop might say: “Lighten up. Loosen up. And have a little fun!”

No Snow Day!!!

For one of the few times this winter, we had a Sunday morning sans snow today. While my Southern friends have canceled services or snowball warfare breaking out among congregants, we are celebrating our gorgeous 30 degree, bright and sunny Sunday. We are celebrating because snow = much lower attendance. Our church and many churches in the area have had horrible attendance numbers so far in 2009 because of all the snowy Sundays. When it snows on Sunday, elderly members stay home -- as they should. Plus, I get the feeling other people use the snow as an excuse to "take a Sunday off," as if we actually had snow days for church. We don't. Would you have a snow day for work? Unless you work at a school, you don't.

So enjoy your snow days, all you Southern comrades. I'll be thinking of you as I rejoice over our no snow day with a full church.