A Message of Hope For All The Married Couples

A Message of Hope For All The Married Couples

Zac Poonen

The wedding at Cana, gives us a glimpse of the blessedness
that comes through honouring God (John 2:1-11). It is
significant that it was at a wedding, that Jesus decided to
manifest His glory for the first time. Even today, He
desires to manifest His glory at every wedding and in every
marriage. The shortage of wine at Cana indicates that
problems and needs will arise in every marriage. These
problems can ultimately lead both husband and wife to a
point of continued frustration and despair. But when Jesus
is given the pre-eminent place in a marriage, He very soon
solves the problems and meets the needs - as He did at Cana.
It is not enough for Christ to be invited as a guest into
the home; He must be Lord.

It is mere mockery to hang a placard on the wall which reads,
"CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THIS HOUSE", if in actual fact the
husband (or the wife!) is the real head. But wherever Christ is truly
acknowledged as Head and Lord, He manifests His glory as really
as He did at Cana two thousand years ago (v.11). "Whatever
He says to you, do it", was the advice given by Mary to
the servants there (v.5). They heeded that advice and obeyed
Jesus implicitly and immediately - and soon the problem was solved.
If only married couples (as well as young people contemplating marriage)
would heed the same advice and render the same
implicit and immediate obedience to the Lord's commands, how
soon their problems would find a solution.

The water was transformed into wine at that wedding. That
which was tasteless and colourless and ordinary was changed
in a moment into something sweet and sparkling and costly.
This symbolizes how the common things of married life
(including the monotonous drudgery of daily routine) can
begin to sparkle with a lustre, when the Lord is given full
control of the home. The tasteless becomes sweet, and
infinite value begins to be seen in that which was formerly
despised as common.

The needs of many people were met too, as a result of that
miracle. A Christian marriage never fulfills its purpose by
providing happiness merely for both the partners. God's
intention is that married couples should have their cups
"running over" constantly (Psa. 23:5). They should be the
means of blessing to many others - in fact to every one they
meet. God once said to an obedient servant of His - "I will
bless you... and you shall be a blessing - dispensing good
to others... (and) in you shall all the families and kindred
of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:2,3). That blessing of God
is for us too, according to Galatians 3:14. What greater aim
could one have in marriage than that? But the measure in
which we become a blessing to others will depend on the
measure in which we obey God in our daily life. "In your
seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because
you have heard and obeyed My voice", said the Lord to
Abraham (Gen. 22:18).

The miracle at Cana holds out a message of hope too, for
those who have blundered and failed in the realm of
marriage. When the wine failed at Cana, they turned to the
Lord and He did not let them down. He will not let you down
either, if you turn to Him in your need - no matter how
great your failure may have been. He only asks you to be
honest about that need (as those in Cana were) and to tell
Him of your failure. Have you through your foolishness,
allowed things to go too far ? Have you blundered in the
matter of love - perhaps through ignorance? Are you, as a
result, facing embarrassment and frustration now? Do others
misunderstand you and reproach you - or perhaps malign you?
Then turn to the Lord at once, without a moment's delay. He
is the Friend of sinners. He waits not only to forgive your
sin but also to clean up the mess that Satan has made of
your life. It was to fulfill these two purposes that He came
into the world (1 John 3:5,8). Don't give way to
discouragement, for there is hope even for you. The Lord
more than made up for the lack at that wedding in Cana, and
He can more than make up for every lack in your life. The
Lord manifested His glory at Cana, and He can do the same in your case.

If you have faced disappointment, take heart from the fact
that true blessedness in the Christian life comes through
renouncing and not through possessing (Acts 20:35). God can
make all things work together for your good, and help you to
live a full life for His glory in spite of unfulfilled desires.