Yesterday morning I was reading in John when a tiny little verse leapt off the page at me. I'd probably read it 1000 times before, and quickly "overlooked" it because of course I want to get to Jesus' words. John 2:5 says in the NIV, "His mother (Mary) said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'" In the NKJV says, "His mother said to the servants, 'Whatever he says to you, do it.'" I tried to read on, but sensed that the Holy Spirit wanted me to return to this verse...which I did. I read it again and again and then the tears began to flow. Do I do whatever Jesus tells me to do? In this particular story, what follows is Jesus turning the water into the finest wine for the wedding guests...He provided in abundance with the very best. The cross-reference is to the Old Testament story of Joseph when he was head honcho in Egypt during the time of the famine...there too we read, "Do whatever he tells you to do." And the people went to Joseph and he had stored up enough food and provisions to feed the people during the years of the famine...he provided them with "life".
So, as I sat in bed, reading this verse again and again, "Do whatever he tells you," I prayed about a particular situation I am in right now: "Jesus, what do You want me to do in this situation?" His answer came clear as day: "Release it to me!" It was as if a gigantic weight was lifted off my heart immediately as I prayed and released...it was the first day in over two weeks when I had not been completely weighted down by this situation and God's peace and joy filled my heart. Of course in the evening, I tried to "take it back again", and immediately, God's peace left me....but there's more to this story which I won't go in to in detail, but as I released again, the floodgates of God's grace and mercy came flowing as God revealed to me my heart, and my continual desperate need for Him to come and heal! He's so good!
I encourage you: "Whatever he says to you, do it!" Only then can there be healing and freedom!
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