A friend texted birthday greetings to me this morning. I thanked him for the good wishes and replied with’ “I’m mellowing like fine wine in a dusty old bottle.” 

The outside doesn’t look like much; grey hair, wrinkles, a few scars, and a general well-used appearance. But inside where it can’t be seen are eighty-two years of life experience that have slowly transformed an arrogant independent young man into a relatively mature elder with an entirely different perspective on life (although the transformation is neither complete nor perfected).

Jesus performed His first public miracle at a wedding feast in Cana. He intervened to solve a crisis at this week long feast – they were about to run out of wine! Jesus commanded that a few large water barrels be filled with water, and instructed the servants to take some of the water, now wine, to the host. The host tasted, and pronounced the wine the best he’d ever tasted.

I read somewhere (possibly C.S. Lewis) that Jesus still turns water into wine today. As creator and sovereign ruler over all the earth, He causes the rain to fall on the soil. The grape vines draw the water and dissolved minerals up to the leaves and stems by the power of the sun. The grape clusters form and ripen according to their design, and then they are harvested at just the right time. Following ancient processes the winemaker crushes the grapes and transfers the raw juice into aging casks. Again, in a process determined by the Maker, the natural yeast and juice gradually ferment, transforming the sugars into alcohol and the fine, fruity beverage many people enjoy. The wine is then bottled, shipped, sold, and stored, where it continues to mellow until it is poured out and drunk by humans whose hearts are gladdened by its appearance, aroma, and flavor.

Jesus does something like that to the people He came to save. He takes a rebellious heart and transforms it into a heart of love and obedience, and begins a life-long process of remaking us into something good and beautiful. We start out all full of juice, impatient for the ripening. But then we get crushed by life. There are long periods of time, of stillness, where nothing seems to be going on. Then comes the outpouring, the revelation of the results of the Maker’s plan; a transformed man or woman fit to bless the world, and to live in eternity with Him.

Like all analogies, this one is imperfect. Yet I would not be the man I am today, able to look at the few meager ways that I have served my Risen Lord in the past, still being transformed into His image; except for the grace of God and His abounding, steadfast love for me.

This dusty old bottle is not quite empty yet. Let its outpouring continue to be a blessing until my Savior calls me home.  SDG