I was reading a few weeks ago the familiar story of Jesus turning water into wine. I was struck by the parallells and application points for our team. Today, as I sit at the local coffee shop, typing this journal entry, men from my target people group are all around me. Lord, they need your wine. Do it again...save the day.
I know the blog posting below is long. It was written originally as more of a journal entry. But in case you have time to read it, I pray it gives you some insight on how to pray for our team and our people group.
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Jesus and his new followers were invited to a wedding. Just a few days before this special occasion, Jesus began the process of calling those who would follow him over the next few years. But they weren’t the only people who knew Jesus that were invited to the wedding. His beloved mother Mary was there too.
At some point during the wedding, the Wedding Party came to what was probably an embarrassing realization that they had run out of wine. Uh-oh. Now what? Evidently, Mary had some emotional vested interest because she felt the need to come to the rescue. She did the only thing she knew to do. She asked her son to save the day.
Jesus’ response was anything but sympathetic. “Woman, what do I have to do with you?”
What? You’ve got to be kidding me! Did Jesus REALLY say that? Yes, He said it. That’s not up for debate. But HOW did he say it? Was it a firm rebuke --- said with a frown? Or was it more of a “come on mom, you’re not REALLY asking me to make wine are you” --- said with a smile?
It is not clear to me HOW Jesus responded but the next words of Jesus do shed some light on WHY He responded this way: “My hour has not yet come.” Isn’t it interesting that even to the One who transcends time, timing is everything.
End of story, right? Not hardly. Jesus’ mother Mary had the audacity to not take “no” for an answer. She persistently, stubbornly (maybe even presumptuously?) said to the servants standing by, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
And “do it” --- He did! Not in a flashy, televangelist – kind of way. Jesus did it in a quiet, subtle way. He simply asked the nearby attendants to perform an ordinary, routine activity by filling six stone waterpots - used by the Jews for purification. And He asked them to fill them to the brim with water! The rest is history.
He did it. Jesus saved the day. He “manifested His glory” and “His disciples believed in Him.” He took a hopeless, embarrassing situation and not only provided MORE wine but DIFFERENT AND BETTER wine. In fact, it was so much better that the headwaiter – evidently unaware of the miracle – could hardly believe what the “bridegroom” had done. The headwaiter got it right – sort of. It was a bridegroom, all right. It just wasn’t the bridegroom of that wedding. It was another bridegroom – the One on whom we await His return.
The application of the above story to our current context is stunning. Can you see it? Let me try to paint the picture…
This is a culture, believe it or not, that is not void of Jesus. Jesus is esteemed in the Muslim holy book. But in their daily lives, He is just in the backdrop – just another guest at the wedding so to speak. He certainly is NOT the main attraction.
Muslims believe Isa (Jesus’ name in Arabic) was a great prophet. They believe He was sent from God and they even believe He is coming again some day. They just don’t believe He is the Son of God. They are unaware of His power and relevance to their life. Meanwhile, Jesus - the Bridegroom of the ultimate heavenly wedding – waits, patiently for his hour – the time He will be revealed for who He really is to these dear people.
The wine they are currently drinking (religious tradition) is going to run out to be sure. Many know this already deep down in their hearts. Religious wine never satisfies and it never lasts – regardless of culture. Only a relationship with the Bridegroom satisfies our deepest longings.
Our team has been praying that those that we meet in our people group will see that Jesus offers a different and better wine. It is the wine of His presence – His precious Holy Spirit. We, the attendants, are standing by. We believe He has asked us – through our team leader – to do six rather basic activities – to fill up six waterpots with water, if you will. They are as follows:
1) To know our testimony so well that we can present it in under 3 minutes and to always be looking for opportunties to share it. (The long term goal is to know our stories in Arabic – but that is a ways down the road for Lori and me!)
2) To become really familiar with a key passage in the Qur'an that talks specifically about Jesus. (I know this is going to be a stretch for some of you but bare with me.) Next time your out at your local Barnes and Nobles, pick up a copy of the Qur'an and read for yourself Surrah Al Imron 3:42-55. You won’t believe it. It is a perfect passage to raise Jesus above “prophet” status in the minds of our Muslim friends and build a bridge to the Bible. That is our goal.
3) To learn and share the “Creation to Christ” presentation of the Gospel in under 10 minutes.
4) To learn and share short powerful stories from both the Old and New Testaments to be used as the Spirit directs. The Qu’ran says a good muslim will read the “before books” – the Taurat (Gen. through Deut), the Wisdom books (Psalms and Proverbs) and the Injeel (Gospels).
5) To identify and locate men and women of peace that we can invest in and disciple – for some, even before they become believers!
6) To pray… for divine appointments and for discernment to identify the persons of peace and gatekeepers who will be instrumental in facilitating a church planting movement in this country.
Six basic methods. Six “stone waterpots.” But out of obedience, we are going to fill them up (carry them out as diligently as we can). Our prayer is for Jesus to hasten the day that He “manifests His glory” to our people group. We know they will stand before the throne some day. Why couldn’t these days be their time? Only He can provide the Wine they are really looking for.
Still I come back to this basic question: Why did Jesus ultimately carry out his mother's request? He was asked.
So we too plead. Lord, “they have no wine”. Do it again in our time. SAVE THE DAY!
...and his new train set, of course!
Betsy at the Gold Souk (Market)! There must have been at least a hundred gold shops lined up one after another!
"Look Mom, I'm on top of the world!" 
Not sure what was going on in Betsy's head as this photo was taken but I think it was something like this..."Dad, should I be concerned?"
Gooooooo....Eagles!
Just monkeying around! 
Daniel and Dad do the Dubai Zoo! "Did you say b-b-bear?"
The Burns Bunch Babes (Katelyn, Betsy, and Hannah) sporting their new school uniforms on the first day of school!
Hannah and Uncle Mark working on Daniel's form. He's aiming for the 2014 winter games.
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