Are You Paying Attention?
“Jesus did this, the first of his signs, at Cana in Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” John 2:11
“Give me a sign,” we often say. Dried up and tired we wonder if God is paying attention to our circumstances and if God cares. Of course, demanding a sign doesn’t always result in one! We don’t always get our wish.
At the same time, God is at work around us all the time. Life is happening and miracles are unfolding all around us. Just breathing each breath and experiencing life is an amazing thing – it can help us sometimes to just stop for a bit and pay attention to our breathing and take stock of the miracle that is our life.
At Cana, Jesus does the first of his seven signs in John’s gospel. Each sign is for a reason and not always the one you might expect. This change from water into wine is (oddly enough) not for the benefit of the wedding guests who will drink the wine. It is to demonstrate to the disciples – newly recruited followers of Jesus – that he is something special and can do amazing things. Rather than being a public miracle for the benefit of the crowds, only a few people know what has actually happened to produce such fine wine. The real audience is Jesus’ new recruits. They are paying attention and he gives them something to think about.
You have been recruited to follow Jesus. So, here are a couple of questions for you. In the process, God is at work in your life and all around you. Are you paying attention? If so, what are you noticing about God at work in your life?
