Do Whatever He Tells You: The Key To Abundant Life

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

(John 2:1‭-‬5 ESV)

I have come to enjoy audibly listening to the Bible. I have read it much and at first upon discussion about listening to it, my initial response was that I preferred reading the words in the Bible because I am a lover of words and I like to take them all in. However, upon falling behind in a collective group reading plan [in which I am not a fan of whole Bible reading plans] I choose one day to begin hearing the words of the Bible as I drove to work, to catch up. To my great surprise, I came to realize that the audible hearing of it proved to present the scriptures as recorded in the Bible to me in a brand new way. In a sense I would be able to see a more vivid picture that was being painting by the author. Like viewing an aerial map I began to see the scriptures more acutely. For this, I now recommend listening to the Word of God, even as I recommend reading the Word of God. More importantly, I desire that all who hear or read the Bible will actually and ultimately experience the God who inspired it all. With that said, I now invite you Into My HEART.

Verse 5 from the verses included above has captured my attention like never before! We read or hear, ‘His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”’ Contextually speaking, this is taking place three days after Jesus had already come in contact with 5 of His disciples after the witness of John the Baptist concerning himself not being the Christ, of not even being worthy to untie Jesus’ sandal strap and that Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Now, being three days later, the mother of Jesus is at a wedding and Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.

This is a scene all or most of us can appreciate. A wedding. We have either been invited to a wedding, played a part in a wedding or have been married and had a wedding. At weddings it is a celebration. Food and drinks are served. It is indeed a possibility for something to run out as the wedding reception continues on. However, this narrative in the life of Jesus, the mother of Jesus and the disciples of Jesus has nothing to do with the wedding party. It has everything to do with everyday life where Jesus is present.

Now we read that the wine ran out and the mother of Jesus brings this to his attention and by his response, clearly she is absolutely aware that her son is distinct from other people. For who among us would respond, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” The exchange of words lends themselves well to something of the supernatural.

However, this is just some context to get to what caught my eye and ear this time around. That being the response the mother of Jesus said to the servants: Do whatever he tells you.

It is widely known that those who call Jesus Lord are not only believers and should also be followers. They are also known as servants in certain regards as it pertains to doing the will of God and making the Gospel of Jesus known.

Therefore, as servants, if indeed God can look upon us and present those many convincing proofs that we are in fact his servants. There is only one response a servant ought to hear and ought to do—whatever he tells us.

Those words, ‘do whatever he tells you,’ is the sum total for every situation and circumstance of life for the Christian. In fact, this whole world would not be in a constant state of disrepair if all the inhabitants upon it would obey that very command—do whatever he tells you.

• Do whatever he tells you, is the key to an abundant life.

• Do whatever he tells you, is the answer to what ails us collectively as a people, in our cultures and societies.

• Do whatever he tells you, is what will make a marriage flourish and thrive and never know discord and divorce.

• Do whatever he tells you, is what will make whole all the broken families throughout the world.

• Do whatever he tells you, would cause governments to act accordingly. That is, in God’s truth, justice and righteousness without compromise and always with impartiality.

• Do whatever he tells you, is the hope of glory.

Do whatever he tells you, was ultimately the greatest contribution the mother of Jesus verbally gave to the world. For as a mother, she did not respond in the natural, ‘do whatever I tell you’ as is the custom of the human existence. As if we really know what is best. No! She replied with all wisdom and prudence: Do whatever [he] tells you.

When Jesus becomes the rule and authority over our lives and what he tells us and has to say governs [or reigns] in our everyday life. That is when we will experience the following: ‘the first of his signs’ and become witnesses to Jesus having ‘manifested his glory.’ Where the result will be ‘and his disciples believed in him.’ (John 2:11)

There is something to be said of kingdom living. I remember when I came to know that the word kingdom meant rule and reign. It blew my mind! Jesus said as recorded at the end of John Chapter 6, ‘but seek first the kingdom of God...’ There is more to what He said. For this instance I will not include the context nor the additional words. Jesus spoke to his audience and told them, [but seek first] the [kingdom] of God. As I have been sharing with you all that God made known to me this time around as I read and heard His Word, concerning what the mother of Jesus so prudently said that is truly Universally impacting. To do whatever he tells you. The words of Jesus and how they were expressed as to an objection and injection into our daily lives, ‘but seek first the kingdom of God,’ seems to me to harmonized perfectly with what the mother of Jesus said, “Do whatever he tells you.” Therefore, it is my conclusion that to seek first the kingdom of God will always be tied into doing whatever Jesus tells us to do.

How I thank God that He made allowance for these words to be remembered and recorded for mankind. Many may not be aware of it but it is my prayer and hope that through this writing, you will now have become aware of the great significance to the words that the mother of Jesus spoke and what they have to teach us, show us and ultimately, if applied, provide for us.

My prayer:

O Lord, you alone are God in heaven and on earth. How great your word is. How I thank you for your goodness and your faithfulness to not only send your word to us but also give your word to us, that through your word we would have life and have it to the full! We have come to know that Jesus is your word. He is most glorious. To this day He continues to captivate me and He always has me in awe. I am always beside myself when I think of all His ways. Jesus presents such a high standard of living, but also of speaking. Even His thoughts are too lofty for me to attain to. He is everything I have come to know as everything altogether wonderful. When I take in these most glorious words, ‘do whatever he tells you,’ I am made aware that this is the key to eternal life, but it is also the key to doing well in this temporal life. I desire to do whatever Jesus tells me. For in it as I have come to know, life in abundance flows from his every command. It is by his very word that we are well nourished. Father God, help me by way of your mighty Spirit to do just that! To do whatever Jesus tells me to do so that I will be well nourished. Thereby, making me strong and well able to do every good work a good servant of the Lord will be called to carry out.

LORD, you are our Father and God. How I thank you Jesus made that clear. If he said it I believe it. Again, I thank you for your son; your word, and the glory of knowing him. Let me also be known by Jesus, in that, I  do whatever he tells me. I also pray for my brothers and sisters all over the world. May each and every one of us, by the power of your Spirit, be known as those humble servants, those loving children, those dear friends to Jesus and of Jesus, in that we do whatever he tells us. May our obedience to his word prove to the world that we are his disciples who believe in him. Amen.

YOU ARE LOVED.

F.A. Lugo
Originally finished on: 10/16/18 at 10:22 a.m.
Posted and Finalized on: 10/16/18 12:24 p.m.