New Wineskins, New Wine

By Jeanette Strode

“And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wine-skins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” —Mark 2:22 (NIV)

I can’t tell you how many times I have read Mark 2:22, certainly more than I can count. I’ve always thought “I get it, you don’t put new wine into old skins, check. If I ever deal with wine, then I’ll know.” Of course I knew there was a deeper application, but I never truly grasped it—until a few days ago.

Adam and I were on vacation with Lucy, and we were having a difficult couple of days. We’ve never vacationed with a baby, and I think that says it all for anyone that has had this dilemma. Also, we are in one of the most difficult times of our lives, basically losing ourselves and trying to find us again. We were trying to vacation and relax in the way we knew how, from days of old.

It didn’t work. You can’t put new wine into old wine skin. Or it will burst.

I have been trying to put the new wine into my old skin. And a few days ago, I thought I was ready to burst. There was anger and pain and frustration. I was sitting in a dark room for what felt like the hundredth time while Lucy napped. So, I picked up my Bible and began to read. There it was, two chapters in. You can’t put new wine into an old skin.

I instantly felt relieved, like all of my pain and frustration had been explained. Not only had it been explained, I now knew what to do. I had to get a new skin.

I am learning that I can be a mom, a wife, a mission worker and enjoy life. Better yet, I am learning that the life I have now will be better than the life I had before, if I allow Jesus to make me into a new wine skin. God is so amazing.

Virginia Mennonite Missions workers in Bangkok, Thailand: Adam and Jeanette Strode, with daughter Lucille, and Steve Horst with Anjali and Bethany Tobin with Emmanuel. Courtesy photo