Wine at the Wedding

This is a short post today, but it is a good illustration of the sequence for acting in faith, the Four Steps to Receiving from God. The story is of Jesus' first miracle, water turning into wine. You can find the full account in the second chapter of the Gospel of John. If you are not familiar with it, I will post from the King James below, but I still urge you to check out a more modern translation.  While this story can be analyzed from multiple perspectives, each revealing a different gem of truth, I am sticking with the order of events that resulted in the need being met.

1.    They heard from the Lord. Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots." (John 2:7)
2.    They chose to pay attention to Him. Just before that, Jesus' mother had said, "Whatever He says to you, do it." (John 2:5) We get a glimpse of how Mary's words had prepared the hearts of the servants so that they'd be predisposed to listen.
3.    They believed and trusted that filling the jars with water was the thing to do. They could have scoffed or doubted at this point, but instead they received Jesus' word with enough faith to move to step four.
4.    They acted on what they knew to do: “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." (John 2:8)

The water had now become wine.
Applying the sequence of Steps to Receiving from God, KatieLyn passed Step 1 with flying colors; she heard from the Lord. She did well on Step 2; she paid attention. It was at Step 3 that she stumbled; she did not receive it as a reality, with full believing faith. She never even attempted the Fourth Step that would have brought God's will into manifestation.

♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦   

The Wedding at Cana, Gospel of John, Chapter 2

1And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.