John 2:7
Mary, the mother of Jesus, knows a need when she sees one. She and Jesus, along with the disciples, had been invited to a wedding in Cana. “They have no more wine.”
The bride and the groom would be embarrassed. The guests would not be able to drink and celebrate. The best wine had been served and containers had run dry. People might murmur and begin to leave. Mary sets this miracle into motion and tells the servants: “Do whatever He [Jesus] tells you.” What is easier to say: “Fill the jars with water,” or “Bring your empty water jars?”
The water precedes the wine, but the emptiness precedes the water. I want to invite you to re-imagine this miracle as the miracle of the empty water jars. Half of the battle in being transformed in our Christian lives is stating: “I am empty. I’ve come up short. I ran out of…” Fortunately, for us, Jesus is still in the business of doing something out of nothing.
Bring your empty water jars that have no water. This is what precedes the miracle of transformation. To say: I have run out of love in this relationship. I have run out of vision in this business. I have run out of patience in this group. I have run out of compassion with the insurmountable needs around me. I am empty. I AM DONE!”
In this confession lies the thin place where the miracle has room to take place. Here Jesus can step in and the Kingdom breaks in. Bring your emptiness. Bring your water jar to be filled up with water. Bring your “I am done.” Watch that water turn into wine. It’s a slow process. If you’re here for quick wine, you will miss the gentle grace that comes with the empty in Jesus’ presence. Bring Jesus your empty water jars and do whatever Jesus says. That is how the powerful transformation of the Gospel takes place in our lives. 

Luke 24:50-53
Many portions of the Gospel of Luke are found in the other biblical gospels. But Luke adds some uniquely and wonderful elements of the story. In Luke, we learn so much about the birth of Jesus, especially Mary’s part. We observe Jesus preaching in his hometown (Nazareth) synagogue and almost thrown off a cliff by his unhappy listeners, his neighbors growing up. Only Luke records two of the most influential and beloved parables of Jesus: the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan.
The Gospel of Luke does not suggest that following Jesus is easy. His followers are to deny themselves and pick up their cross daily (9:23), hate their family, even themselves (14:26) and give up all their possessions (14:33).  These verses in Luke do not suggest that following Jesus is easy. There is much about following Jesus that is wonderful, to be sure. Luke (and the Bible) is openly honest about the foibles and failings of the disciples. If Jesus called these disciples, He surely has room for someone like me.
When I think of how Luke encourages me to follow Jesus today, my mind is filled with four stories that stand out in a special way.
First, the call of Levi (5:27-28). There’s no way Levi could have known what following Jesus meant. Yet, when Jesus said, “Follow Me,” he “got up, left everything, and followed Him” (5:28). What an extraordinary act of trust! May we be like Levi, trusting and following You!
Second, Mary’s astounding response to the angel when she learned that she was going to be pregnant out of wedlock, a shocking thing in her culture. What did Mary say to the angel? “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (1:38). O Lord, may we trust You the way Mary did! May we be fully Your servants!
Third, Peter on the night Jesus was betrayed. Peter swore that he would never betray Jesus, but Jesus predicted Peter’s imminent denial (22:61). Hours later, Jesus’ prediction becomes reality. After his denial of Jesus, Peter “went out and wept bitterly” (22:62). Yet Jesus did not reject Peter. O Lord, thank You for hanging on tight to us when I let we down!
Fourth, the parable of the Prodigal Son. The heart of the father, “filled with compassion,” running to, embracing, and kissing his wayward child (15:20) touches my heart and blows my mind. Jesus shows us the heart of God, not just in general, but for us. O Lord, thank You for loving us! Thank You for running to us in Your mercy! Thank You for forgiving us and welcoming us home.
Following Jesus isn’t about figuring it all out or getting it all right. It’s about trusting God, trusting beyond our comprehension, trusting even when it feels risky, trusting in a God who loves us in spite of our failures, trusting in Jesus who, like his mother, offered himself fully and without reservation to his Father in heaven.
Even when we’re in doubt, when we’re uncertain, it’s always good to follow Jesus. Especially after the COVID pandemic, after having learned so much more about what it all means, I’m still convinced. No matter what, still follow Jesus!

Genesis 12:1
For Christians, Abraham is an exemplar of faith and faithfulness. However, the story of Abraham is neither one of perfection nor of arrival but of an ongoing journey.
There are at least three helpful insights from Abraham’s story.
First, Abraham’s history helps us to understand the role of failure in our journey. His journey included several incidents where he lacked faith and demonstrated dubious morality and ethics. Interestingly, these events were excluded from the Bible nor permanently disqualified him from becoming “the father of the faithful.” That’s a tricky balance for us today when we tend to either excuse failures or dwell on them obsessively. One of the distinctives of the Christian faith argues that failures, especially moral and ethical ones, while having profound consequences, are not necessarily the last word. Redemption is possible but it requires a willingness to face that failure and its repercussions honestly, to make amends where possible, and to pursue a different way of life.
Second, the journey of faith requires persistence in the face of resistance and adversity. Failure brings consequences that make life more complicated. Additionally, internal and external opposition are simply part of the reality of being human. So, Abraham teaches us the critical virtues of patient endurance and persistence. The Puritans use a wonderful phrase for this, “plodding faithfulness” —the ability to continue plodding on, whether you feel like it or not!
Lastly, Abraham's life, beautifully pictured in Rembrandt’s painting, “The Sacrifice of Isaac,” is that the journey of faith ultimately requires a willingness to sacrifice. Perhaps most surprisingly, we are called to offer the very thing central to our identity as human beings and our calling as believers: our legacy. If our Christian faith is about the art of being human, of knowing and doing what is good, there may come a time when even that goodness is put at risk.
Abraham’s life and hope were centered on the blessing to come through him to the world. And that wasn’t just an abstract or general blessing. The blessing had a name, Isaac, the chosen son. And that choice did not originate with Abraham. It had God’s explicit and clear confirmation. There was no ambiguity about the choice or the blessing to flow from Isaac to the world.
And then God asks Abraham the unthinkable – to offer up Isaac as a human sacrifice. Surely this was a mistake. Did God mean what He said? Was the God of the Universe capricious or even cruel? Is God good as God claimed to be? These questions resonate all the way back to the beginning of human history. The journey of faith brings us back to profound questions and strange places.
God took a great risk asking this of Abraham. Of course, we know the rest of the story. But Abraham didn’t. And that’s the point for all of us. There will come times when we will be asked for sacrifices as leaders that will test our convictions to the core – about who God is, about who we are, and about what our legacy will be. Everything will be at risk.
Abraham’s decision makes it stunning and remarkable for all who follow, Abraham chooses to trust in the God he could not comprehend. And he expresses that faith by laying down what is most important to him – the very legacy God had given him to fulfill his destiny. And we are called to do likewise.
Laying down our legacy as believers can take many forms. For some, it may mean making space for those who follow and are different from us. Or, it may mean letting others have their say. For others, it may be as simple as being willing to let go of our dreams. Sacrifice is the logical end for those called to be lead servants. After all, we are called to be servants of others. Even our legacy ought to be about them rather than about us.
There is, however, a final encouragement from our Christian faith. Pursuing the journey of wisdom will have its own reward. Even though we may not see it in this life, God can be trusted with our legacy. As Jesus repeatedly reminds us, there will be an ultimate accounting where each person’s work will be appropriately acknowledged and rewarded.

Resentment or grudge is a deadly disease, but it is very common. It quietly affects a person's body and brings serious spiritual consequences, suffocating their relationship with God.
A resentful person must have someone they cannot forgive. This is the core of the problem. When we say in our hearts, "I cannot forgive this person," we are actually placing our own standards, judgments, and conditions above God. Only God has the right to forgive; no other "god" has this authority.
Of course, a non-believer, who does not have God in their heart, will hold grudges and not forgive others without any hesitation because they have no reason to forgive and are unaware of the severe consequences resentment has on their body, mind, and spirit. But among us Christians, why do we still experience mutual resentment? It might start with disliking someone, then grow into more hatred, and eventually, when discovering that the person also dislikes us, resentment forms. Not to mention, if we find out that someone is dissatisfied with us and has hurt our feelings, the resentment deepens.
Actually, God does not forbid us from being angry. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." So, being angry is not a sin. The Bible records many instances of God and Jesus being angry. But the scripture tells us that anger can lead to sin. Ephesians 4:31 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." This shows us the various sinful types of anger. One type is "bitterness." Your anger might be righteous, and your rage might be correct, but if that anger settles into bitterness and you bear a grudge, refuse to forgive, or even refuse to see the person, it is wrong. Moreover, you cannot guarantee that your resentment is righteous and correct—it might be your own fault.
Therefore, as Christians, when we feel resentment towards someone, we must first reflect on what nerve their actions touched in us. Are their actions truly evil, or is there evil within us (something displeasing to God)? If their motives and purposes are good, then our resentment is evil. If their motives and purposes are evil and have hurt us, we should forgive others with the grace of Christ's forgiveness to us. Therefore, in any scenario, we as Christians should forgive others. As Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
A heart that refuses to forgive is a heart that is not forgiven. If you cannot forgive others, you have not felt God's forgiveness for you. God's forgiveness is so sweet; let us enjoy the sweetness of being forgiven by God through forgiving others!