Best for Last

You've heard the story about Jesus turning water into wine. There are many reasons it is significant, especially since it was His first miracle. But there is something very important which was said after this miracle that applies to you and I today--something that defines our destiny.

The Bible says, "When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water [for Jesus] knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, 'Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!'" (John 2:9-10).

God has given us a glimpse of humanity from His perspective.

THE BEGINNING

The master of the feast said, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine..." If we go back to the beginning of time, we know God looked upon His creation of man and said, "It is good." God was pleased. But we also know it wasn't long before everything crumbled.

Man fell into sin, and we now have an orderly account called the Old Testament, which documents God's plan to prepare for the day He would set things right again.

YOU AND I

And this is where our story (or should I say our destiny) becomes significant. The master of the feast then said, "You have kept the good wine until now!" You and I represent the good wine! So we could say, God saved the BEST for last!

And did you catch the comparison of wines? You and I are anything but inferior. In other words, we are not lower in rank, degree, place, or position! In the eyes of God, we are the cream of the crop!

This is why your understanding of righteousness is so important. Remember the definition: Righteousness is right-standing with God and the ability to stand before Him without guilt or inferiority as if you had never sinned.

YOU ARE NOT INFERIOR

We are the "best for last" because God gave us a gift the former never had--the gift of righteousness! The precious blood of Jesus Christ sets us apart. And faith in His Name gives us delegated authority. The last word we should ever use to describe ourselves is inferior.

You are not inferior, mediocre, half-baked, low grade, or insignificant! As a child of God, you are the very opposite:  first-rate, superior, first-class, foremost, and the best! [tweet]

So that means it is time to get out of our Old Testament thinking. It's okay to learn from Job, but quit comparing yourself to him. He would've given anything to trade shoes with you!

I recently had a counseling appointment with a woman who was struggling with forgiveness. But I soon found her problem: she wanted Old Testament justice instead of New Testament life. You can't have both.

OLD WINE SKINS

This is why Jesus said, "Nor do men put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved" (Matthew 9:17). Do you catch the analogy?

You are the new wine! You are children filled with the Holy Spirit of promise and the gift of righteousness. You can't put that into Old Testament theology and expect to hold up. You (and your stinking-thinking) are going to crumble if you continue to see yourself as inferior.

So make this confession today: "I am the best for last. Because I am the righteousness of God in Christ."

Blessings!

Daphne Delay