Wedding receptions. I’m not opposed to attending them. But, honestly, if I can avoid going to one, you’ll get no complaints from me. (Note: This does not apply to the day when either of my daughters marry!)

There is, however, one wedding reception I would have paid money to attend—the wedding feast in Cana when Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). Weddings feasts in those days could last for days. It was a community celebration where guests were served food and drink, including that famous one made from grapes. At some point during this reception, the wine ran out, which was a huge cultural no-no. To run out of it at one’s wedding was a public disgrace for the newly married couple—something that could negatively reflect on them for the rest of their lives. So Mary, Jesus’ mother, asked her son to intervene (John 2:3).

Having compassion for the newlywed couple’s predicament, Jesus stepped in. He told the servants to fill six stone jars with water, each with the capacity to hold 20 to 30 gallons (John 2:6-7). Do the math. That’s between 120 and 180 gallons of wine. That’s enough to get a person excommunicated from some churches! Just kidding. Then Jesus told them to draw some out and to take it to the master of the banquet. He was most impressed with the wine’s quality (John 2:8).

The disciples were floored. They were finally beginning to understand Jesus’ glory. They saw it in His power, for sure. But that’s not the only thing they saw. They also began to see a person of great kindness, generosity, and understanding. He salvaged the young couple’s reputation and allowed the celebration to continue.

That’s the “glory” that captured the disciples’ hearts and caused them to put their faith in Him (John 2:11). The glory of God.

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Romans 12:1-21