Time can serve as a foe or a friend. When you are young, classes, days or months may drag on seeming endless. Yet, special moments are portions of time that you never want to end, savoring each second while it lasts. Unfortunately, all things in life will eventually pass.
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah, Psalm 39:5.
Human being shouldn’t be surprised by death. God created Adam out of dust and Job came to the realization from “ashes we were created and to dust we will return.” As great as celebrating the birth of a new child can be, the news of death can ruin your day. When I called my father to tell him Leanne was pregnant for the first time, he responded your grandmother is dead.
Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes, James 4:14.
The worst aspect of any passing is for those who don’t get the chance to say goodbye. My dog Autumn passed away earlier in the week after being part of the family for over ten years. While Autumn and I had our differences, it’s strange not seeing her by our bed each morning. Since my son Daniel was at a baseball game, he never got the chance to say a final goodbye. Whether its a person or a pet, live each day like its your last so you take the time to say goodbye to those whom you love.
Attending weddings are often a family affair, seeing relatives that you’ve only heard stories of or seeing others you haven’t seen for years. Whether you are on the bride or groom side, marriage is meant to publicly celebrate the union between a husband and a wife, where two individuals become one flesh, Matthew 19:4-6. Although not mentioned in John 2:1-11, the rabbi overseeing the proceeding likely quotes Genesis 2:24 during the vows portion of the wedding in Cana that Jesus and his family attended.
Based upon the accounts in chapter 1, only 6 disciples had been selected by Jesus, with 6 more to complete his ministry team. This passage also suggests Joseph, Mary’s husband and Jesus’ earthly father had been dead for sometime. The final piece of the puzzle insinuates that Mary is a close acquaintance to the parents of the bride as she is concerned about how her friend would be perceived if they ran out of wine at the reception, with some carrying on for 3-4 days. If this is true, these elements help explain Jesus’ comment, “my time has not yet come,” Joseph’s absence from the text and Mary’s anxious reply to her son. An observer to all of these occurrences is James, the author of the Catholic Letter and younger brother of Jesus.
Although his earthly ministry was not suppose to start yet, Jesus felt compelled to obey 5th commandment, Exodus 20:12, “honor your father and mother.” The perfect child, Jesus calls the servants at the party to listen to his instructions, John 2:6-8. Knowing the miracle had been done from a distance, Jesus orders the master of the banquet to receive a cup from one of the 6 stone jars, filled with water. Remaining in the background, Jesus allows the bridegroom to take credit for the choice wine created by the son of God. The master of the banquet refers to his sip as, “saving the best til now!”
An eyewitness of this miracle, James probably never forgot what his oldest brother had done, a special memory etched in his mind. Perhaps James 4:13-17 is a small glimpse of the lesson God taught him in Cana. You may love your past or can’t wait for a future event, but all that matters is the here and now. Therefore, don’t worry about what could of or should have been and avoid the temptation of what may be. Rather, live out Colossians 3:17 today as you save the best for now!
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