From Ordinary Water to Overflowing Joy
Day 3: Water-to-Wine Metaphors—Little Things, Big Miracles
📖 Scripture Reading: John 2:6-7 (NLT)
"Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ When the jars had been filled..."
The Ordinary Before the Extraordinary
One of my favorite fishing spots is a quiet little inlet off the South Carolina coast. It doesn’t look like much at first—just still water, broken only by the occasional ripple of a jumping fish. But if you know what you're looking for, you’ll see that this little stretch of water is teeming with life. Beneath the surface, redfish, flounder, and shrimp dart among the reeds, waiting for the right moment to be drawn in.
Jesus, in His first miracle, didn’t start with the extraordinary. He started with something as common as water. Six ordinary stone jars—nothing special, nothing miraculous—until He got involved.
Sometimes, we think God’s miracles come in grand displays of power, but more often, He takes the small, the plain, the everyday things and fills them with something new.
Think about it:
- A shepherd’s staff in Moses’ hand became an instrument to part the sea.
- A boy’s simple lunch of bread and fish fed thousands.
- A manger in Bethlehem cradled the Savior of the world.
God doesn’t need elaborate materials to work wonders. He simply asks us to bring what we have, no matter how simple or ordinary it may seem.
Filling the Jars
Jesus didn’t just snap His fingers and make wine appear. He told the servants to fill the jars with water. To the brim.
Can you imagine what they were thinking?
"We’re out of wine, not water. This makes no sense."
"Why are we using these ceremonial washing jars? That’s not what they’re for."
"This isn’t the solution we were expecting."
But they obeyed. They filled the jars, not halfway, not just enough, but to the brim. And that’s when transformation began.
How often do we hold back when God asks us to step in faith? Maybe we obey just a little, just enough to say we did it, but not all the way. Jesus wants us to fill our faith to the brim—not halfway, not just enough, but completely.
What if the size of our miracle is tied to the fullness of our obedience?
What’s in Your Hands?
Many of us are waiting for God to do something amazing in our lives. We pray for breakthroughs, for provision, for transformation. But have we filled the jars He’s given us?
Have we been faithful in the small things before asking for something big?
- If we’re praying for financial provision, have we been good stewards of what we already have?
- If we’re asking for deeper relationships, have we invested in the ones already in front of us?
- If we’re longing for a stronger faith, have we been faithful in the quiet, unseen moments with God?
God’s miracles don’t always begin with the grand. Sometimes, they start with a simple act of obedience: filling the jars, trusting that He will do the rest.
Reflection & Journaling Prompt
- What is one "ordinary" thing in your life that you’ve overlooked but that God may want to use?
- Are there areas where you’ve been hesitant to fully obey? What would it look like to “fill the jars to the brim” in those areas?
- Write a prayer asking God to open your eyes to the small acts of faithfulness that could lead to transformation.
📝 Write it down. Let this be a moment where you recognize what’s already in your hands and surrender it fully to God.
A Simple Prayer for Today
Lord, sometimes I wait for the big miracle and miss the small steps of obedience You are calling me to take. Help me to be faithful in the little things, to bring what I have—even if it seems ordinary—and trust You to transform it into something extraordinary. Amen.
Final Thought
Before Jesus performed a miracle, someone had to pour the water. Before the extraordinary, there was simple obedience. Today, look for the small steps of faith God is asking you to take. Fill your jar—trusting that He is the One who will turn it into something greater than you could have imagined.
🌿 Tomorrow’s Devotional: "Joy & Celebration—Music, Dancing, & the Carolina Coast"