Today would have been exciting enough, considering that it was the day of my master’s wedding, but it was made even more spectacular through a miracle. Allow me to explain: the wedding itself came and went with all the smoothness my master could have hoped for. Everyone was punctual, everyone was merry, and everything was in its proper place. Then came the wedding feast. It too started well, but it was not long before a problem arose that could have caused the household severe embarrassment: the wine ran out.

It was I who first discovered this unfortunate fact. I had gone to refill a pitcher, and the lack of wine quickly became apparent. I was nearly distraught. While neither I nor my master himself was responsible for this tremendous error in judgment, I knew that failing to produce enough drink for all the guests would nearly ruin my master’s social reputation. However, despite my anguish, I knew there was nothing I myself could do to remedy the situation. I rushed to the dining room to seek the counsel of my master.


Aaron Sandford is in his first year at Fairwood Bible Institute. A homeschool student, he graduated from high school in June of 2007. Aaron is the designer and the student editor of the Monadnock Beacon website for the school year of 2007-2008.

I was in such a hurry to get to the great dining hall that I actually collided with one of the guests: Mary, the wife of Joseph, the carpenter from Nazareth. I was very flustered and apologized profusely. Happily for me, Mary could not have accepted my apologies more graciously, nor could she have spoken to me more kindly.

“What is your hurry, that you should enter the house at such a great speed?” she asked.

Normally I would have done all in my power to prevent any guest from learning of the household’s troubles, but I was so upset and she was so kind that I could not restrain myself. I told her exactly why I was troubled, and why I had been so heedlessly rushing to my master. Throughout my tale, she listened with interest and concern. When I had finished she said only, “Wait here,” and turned back into the dining hall.

It was not long before she returned with a man, whom I quickly recognized as her son, Jesus. Jesus did not waste any time with formalities. Gesturing to six empty jars that rested against the wall, he gave me a quick, though gentle, command: “Fill the waterpots with water.” Here I must admit that I was slightly annoyed. Did this man think that water would suffice in place of wine? Was he really that naďve? I had hoped Mary would return with a wealthy wine merchant, not a young man who apparently knew nothing of the culture that had surrounded him since childhood. Nevertheless, as a lifelong servant, I am used to obeying even the most capricious of orders without murmur. Calling Jonathan, a fellow servant, to help me, I proceeded to fill the pots as Jesus had commanded.

“Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast.”

I cringed at the thought of the feast ruler’s reaction to being served water. Would it really be any better than serving him nothing at all? I was not sure, but I had been commanded to obey any orders given me of the guests, and I could not ignore so direct a command. My heart heavy with dread, I carried the jar to the seat of the ruler of the feast and filled his cup. All my muscles tensed as he lifted the goblet to his mouth, but they quickly relaxed as his face burst into an enthusiastic grin. “Excellent wine!” he said.