Today's Daily Reading

The servants' part in this miracle was important: they had to carry the water and fill the vessels, and then draw out and bear the wine to the guests. Thus they became co-workers with Christ in his miracle. So our Lord calls his people always to be his helpers in blessing the world. We cannot do much. The best we can bring is a little of the common water of earth; but if we bring that to him he can change it into the rich wine of heaven, which will bless weary and fainting ones. If we take simply what we have and use it as he commands, it will do good. Moses had only a rod in his hand, but with this he wrought great wonders. The disciples had only five barley-loaves, but these, touched by Christ's hand, made a feast for thousands. So the common water carried by these servants, under the Master's benediction, became wine for the wedding.

Christ passes the gifts of his love and grace through human hands to others. The redemption is divine, wrought by Christ alone, but the priesthood that mediates is human; human hands must distribute the blessings. Gifts of mercy can get to the lost only through those who have been saved. Then how striking is the other side of this truth: the servants carried only common water from the spring, but with Christ's blessing the water became good wine. So it always is when we do what Christ bids us to do -- our most prosaic work leaves heavenly results. No labor is in vain which is wrought in the Lord. Our commonest work amid life's trivialities, in business, in the household, which seems but, like the carrying of water to be emptied out again, is transformed into radiant service like angel ministry, and leaves glorious results behind. The simplest things we do at Christ's bidding may become immortal blessings to other souls or to our own!