Subtle Miracles
Friday Highlight – Subtle Miracles
We often pray for God to show up in big ways, and sometimes he does. We see lots of “big miracles” in the Bible, from Jericho’s walls to Elijah’s fiery conflict on Mt. Carmel to the calling of Lazarus out of the grave. These are all amazing, awe-inspiring, earth-shaking miracles, and we should praise God for them. But sometimes–I would argue most times–God chooses to work in more subtle ways. Ways that are easy to miss if we’re not looking for them. We have to look closer. Jesus’ first miracle, recorded in John 2:1-11, is a perfect example of this.
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.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” – John 2:1–5
Notice his mother’s subtle confidence. She tells Jesus the problem and then with her final recorded words in the Bible, she tells the servants to do whatever he says. She doesn’t know what he’ll do, but because she knows who he is, she trusts him.
Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 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, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast 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.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. – John 2:6–11
The servants are quick to obey, even when the instructions make no sense whatsoever. Fill up the jars with water? Why? How could that possibly help in this extremely embarrassing (and potentially offensive) situation? We’re not told if they asked these questions, but we know they obeyed. The result? Abundant provision. Six jars, filled to the brim, each holding 20-30 gallons. That’s 120-180 gallons of excellent wine.
But the thing I want to draw your attention to in this passage is the smallness of his first miracle. Let that sink in. His first miracle. The first manifestation of his glory. What John calls “the first of his signs” (v 11), in other words, the first pointer to who Jesus actually is. This is a really big deal. This moment kicks off his earthly ministry, which ultimately led to the cross and the empty tomb. But look closer. Who sees it? Not the emperor, not the king, not the governor, not the priests, not the soldiers, not the master of the feast, not the guests, not even the bride and groom. The servants (v 9). We can imagine them doing a double-take as they lift the ladle from the first jar, then looking at each other with wide-eyed confusion. That’s all the reaction his first miracle received. It was too subtle to stand out.
Looking back on your life, I’m sure there are plenty of times you saw God working in big, amazing, earth-shaking, faith-strengthening ways. And we should certainly be thankful for them. But look closer. What small, subtle, everyday miracles has he worked in your life? Take a moment to ask God to reveal them to you, and then keep your eyes open. John Piper once said, “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.”1 Let’s be attentive to see and appreciate more and more of them, and as our awareness grows, may our confidence in him grow as well.
God, help me see more of the ways you’re working, both the “big” and the “small.” Help me trust you like Mary, obey you like the servants, believe in you like the disciples, and catch glimpses of your manifested glory and abundant provision in every moment.
- https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-is-always-doing-10000-things-in-your-life