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

Filled to the Brim

I recently read about Jesus’ first miracle, the turning of water into wine at the Cana wedding (John 2:1-12). They ran out of wine, which in that time and culture would’ve been a social disgrace that would most likely have haunted the bride and groom the rest of their lives. Jesus’ mother asked Him to solve the problem. He didn’t seem to want get involved, saying “My hour has not yet come”, but this was Mom, and so she told the servants to do whatever He told them to do.

I’ve read this portion of Scripture many times but I don’t ever remember noticing that when Jesus asked them to fill the jars (six of them containing 20 or 30 gallons each), they filled them to the brim. We’re talking 120-180 gallons of water! There was no faucet or hose to fill them with—they would’ve been carrying the water in buckets from a well somewhere. There must’ve been something in the authority in which He spoke or His demeanor for them to fill them clear to the brim.

How wonderful that Jesus invited the servants to be a part of His first public miracle. He could’ve simply filled the jars full of wine, but He didn’t. I also love the servant’s hearts—they could’ve filled them half full, but they didn’t. He then tells them to take the wine to the master of the feast. Amazingly, they did what He told them to do without ever tasting it. What if the wine had still been water or had tasted bad? They would’ve been in serious trouble and the bride and groom even more disgraced.

The master of the feast called to the bridegroom and said, “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.” I imagine that was something that would’ve been talked about for a long time, every bit as much as if they’d ran out of wine. But instead of disgraced, they would be remembered as being generous and blessed.

What is my heart when Jesus asks me to do something? Am I all in? Do I do whatever it is to the top, to the best of my ability, to the brim? Jesus invites us to be part of His miracles every day, but do we answer? I wonder if the servants were able to taste the wine they had a small part in making because of their obedience? I personally would like to think they did.

Jesus loves to bless us. He wants to fill us to the brim, overflowing, with His Holy Spirit, His Living Water, which is better than any wine.

Father God, thank You for inviting us to be part of Your miracles. Thank You for filling us to the brim with Your Spirit. Amen.