Private First

Joh 2:3  When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus' mother told him, 
"They're just about out of wine." 
Joh 2:4  Jesus said, "Is that any of our business, Mother--yours or mine? This isn't my time. Don't 
push me." 
Joh 2:5  She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, "Whatever he tells you, do it." 

     Though it isn't really told why Mary would have pressed Jesus to do something about 
the wine situation, this passage does bring strong wonder as to whether or not she had already 
experienced a demonstration of her son's abilities. It was almost like they had been in a 
similar situation in their private home life to which Jesus had responded with a miracle. She 
had learned somehow that when He spoke there was a purpose in His direction, and if He 
were heeded there would be an incredible result. 
     Whether or not a similar situation was being replicated, there is still an insight to be 
gained from the relation of this story with regard to the development of abilities and gifts on 
a personal level before they are taken public. In every case in which Jesus brought a solution 
with a miracle or healing, there was never the sense that this was a new thing for Him. It was 
never like He was even that impressed with what transpired Himself. It was more like this 
was the expected result from a way of life that was already well established. Even with Jesus' 
insistence that this wasn't His time, there really wasn't an indication that the "time" referred to 
His working of miracles at all, but possibly just His public display of this power. 
While the timing of our public display of God's power may not be as critical as Jesus', 
there is yet a great need to draw from this story an understanding of the need to become well 
established privately before something outside our own realm is attempted. With no related 
ministry through the first 30 years of His life, there must have yet been an incredible 
preparation going on that was developing in Him the ability to demonstrate the unhindered 
power of God. He surely wasn't just sitting back, making furniture and waiting for this day of 
impartation to come. He had a close relationship with His mother, but there was the 
establishment of the relationship with the Father during this time that culminated in His 
ability to be the perfect sacrifice. Each day of those years was most certainly full of purpose 
and part of the critical development of the excellent vessel that would be seen by all. The 
ways of the Father were most familiar, and doing those things He saw the Father do became 
both natural and expected. Working with the impossible and bringing a solution to 
desperation must have not been left out of this development time. Any of the great works that 
would be done on the street would have their empowerment in the private practice of the 
Father's presence and His ways. 
     Jesus was given a specific purpose in His life here on earth, and so have we. As He 
went through a long-extended period of private development in that purpose, there must be at 
least some like period in the life of any of us who would desire to fulfill our completed 
purpose in Him. Prior to demonstrating the power of our relationship with the Father before 
the scrutiny of those who don't know Him, it is most certainly a necessity to become well 
established in this demonstration at home and in our personal life. Until this is a 
commonplace experienced in complete privacy, it may not even be a possibility before the 
observance of others. 
     The Father wants to demonstrate His power and ability in our lives, but there is no 
need to wait for the official "ministry" lights to come on. His desire is for there to be such a 
familiarity with His ways and His methods that, like Jesus, the bridge to the public 
experience of this is inspired not by our own desire, but by the encouragement of a loved one. 
He wants to manifest His presence in every area of life and show Himself to be mighty to the 
one He is yet preparing, so that when that vessel begins to be used it is well tested and tried. 
There will not even need to be a reference to any private experience in order to validate or 
prepare for His show of power. It will be done completely by His direction and insight-- just 
as it was in private.