Sometimes the journeys of our lives require a radical step of faith. We courageously accept the call of God on our lives, which takes us into an adventure of the unknown. I knew this day would come, that I would one day take a big step of faith. I’ve been waiting upon the Lord for the right time to venture out, in launching One Touch Ministries. He repeatedly told me through the years that I was not to try and make this ministry happen. That He would bring it about and open doors in His time. So I have waited and tried to be faithful with all He has asked of me from day to day, year to year. The time has now come that He has indeed opened doors. So I step through those doors in faith, giving Him all that I don’t have so that He can give through me, all that He has.
This journey reminds me of a story in John 2. I have a picture of Mary, the mother of Jesus, mentioning to Him that the wine had run dry at the wedding celebration. Could it be that Mary longed for Him to reveal his glory? Jesus responded to her indirect request with the words, “My time has not yet come.” Although Mary heard him, she turned to the servants and said, “Do whatever He tells you.” Would her words really turn the time of His glory being revealed? It was as though she ignored what He said and spoke to the servants with confident trust in her son, the Savior of the world.
Jesus turns to the servants. “Fill the jars with water.” I wonder if the servants were there as Mary pointed out the need for more wine. I suspect they listened in. Did they catch the depth of intimate unspoken dialogue made between Jesus and his mother? Did they even know who this man was? We don’t know what they knew, but they filled the jars to the brim. Jesus then instructed the servants to dip some out and take it to the master of the ceremony.
What thoughts could have run through their minds? “We are out of wine and this man is asking me to take some ‘water’ to the master of the ceremony!” “How will water be received from the master?” “I will look like a fool,” one may think. “Why should I obey a man who follows the promptings of this woman?” another may ask. We don’t know how many servants there were, but I wish I knew the names of the ones who obeyed. At that moment they stepped into becoming the tangible deliverer of Jesus’ first miracle.
Taking those steps of obedient faith makes a way for the Kingdom of God to enter a situation. All around us, we see needs; we know what our Lord is capable of. We know that Jesus, that precious name, can unlock the shackles around our feet and the feet of our brothers and sisters in this land. He will continue to reveal His glory. But He has chosen and desires to have us involved in His glory being revealed.
I hear faintly, yet ever so undeniably, “Do whatever He tells you to do”. It’s a call to step forth and pick up the cup; a call to radical obedience upon His spoken word. Will we step into obeying the promptings of the Spirit no matter how foolish we may think we are going to look? Will we obey no matter how inconvenient the timing in which we hear His still small voice? He may prompt me to make a phone call, or pick up a piece of garbage along the city walk. He may prompt me to move across the world or visit someone who is sick. He may prompt me to exchange a cup of coffee for a moment in His presence. He may prompt me to speak when I want to be silent. He may call me to be silent when I think I know it all. He may prompt me to clear the previously known routine of my life, leaving an open book for Him to begin to write.
There is no telling what He may prompt us to do. His promptings may come with no explanation; no foreshadowing of what our obedience will bring about. No understanding of how it relates to anything we’re about at the moment. But He sees what we don’t see and He knows that if each member of the body were to walk without delay into the still small whispers spoken to us, His Glory will consume our land. We need no permission to walk in His call. The church will undeniably arise, when we “do whatever He tells us to do!”
Will you join me as we offer what we think is only water, to the one who can turn our offering into wine?