C. S. Lewis on Turning Water into Wine

God creates the vine and teaches it to draw up water by its roots and, with the aid of the sun, to turn that water into a juice which will ferment and take on certain qualities.

 Thus every year, from Noah’s time till ours, God turns water into wine. That, men fail to see. Either like the Pagans they refer the process to some finite spirit, Bacchus or Dionysus: or else, like the moderns, they attribute real and ultimate causality to the chemical and other material phenomena which are all that our senses can discover in it. But when Christ at Cana makes water into wine, the mask is off’ (John 5:19). 

The miracle has only half its effect if it only convinces us that Christ is God: it will have its full effect if whenever we see a vineyard or drink a glass of wine we remember that here works He who sat at the wedding party in Cana.”


C.S. Lewis, “Miracles,” God in the Dock (Eerdmans: 1970)

Rain, Crops and Roots

Neil Orchard was talking with a farmer about his soy bean and corn crops. 

Rain had been abundant, and the results were evident. 

So his comment surprised him: "My crops are especially vulnerable. Even a short drought could have a devastating effect." 

"Why?" Orchard asked. 

He explained that while we see the frequent rains as a benefit, during that time the plants are not required to push roots deeper in search of water. 

The roots remain near the surface. A drought would find the plants unprepared and quickly kill them. 

Some Christians receive abundant "rains" of worship, fellowship, and teaching. 

Yet when stress enters their lives, many suddenly abandon God or think him unfaithful. 

Their roots have never pushed much below the surface. 

Remember this, only roots grown deep into Jesus Christ will help us endure times of drought in our lives.

Getting Air Out Of A Glass

Speaking to a large audience, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, "How can I get the air out of this glass?" 

One man shouted, "Suck it out with a pump!" Moody replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass." 

After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed." 

He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by "sucking out a sin here and there," but by being filled with the Holy Spirit. 

The point is, unless you're filled with the Holy Spirit, you'll continue to struggle with sins. 

Don and Dawn