What Now?!

Isaiah 5:4 - What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done?  When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?

I love this passage.  God is asking what else He could have done for His people to turn (and keep) their hearts to Him.  What more could He have given them?  It almost sounds as though He is throwing His hands up and giving up on them, but we know better.

Even though God sounds frustrated and maybe a bit exasperated here, this chapter starts with, "Now I will sing for the one I love."  He still loves His chosen people - His vineyard.  And since we know that His story doesn't end here, we know He keeps loving us.  More than we can ever comprehend.

Whenever I find myself backsliding in my faith a little, or struggling with accepting God's love and grace, I remember John 3:16.  I'm sure that just about everyone can recite that passage (even me, and I stink at memorizing!).  It's one of the most quoted scriptures I hear.  The one thing that strikes me as the key to that passage, is that God sent Jesus Christ to redeem and save us for eternal life in Heaven, not because He had to (as if we could force Him to do something He doesn't want to), but because He wanted to.  He didn't WANT to sacrifice His only Son, He WANTS to save us from eternal separation from Him, and the shed blood of Jesus was the only way it could be done.

In Isaiah, He says He is going to tear down the hedges of His vineyard and let the animals in (verse 5).  This isn't to destroy His people.  It is to give them a taste of what they can expect when they are separated from Him.  He is going to remove His protection from them for a time, so they can see what they have ahead of them if they do not repent and return to Him.

I have no problem with this.  I think we all need that sometimes (I know I sure do).  We have a tendency to get complacent and lackadaisical (one of my favorite words in the English language), because we are taking God for granted.  He doesn't get mad at us for this, because He expects it.  He knows what we are going to do before we do it.  He doesn't throw up His hands and say, "What now?!"  He puts reminders in our lives of how great life is with Him instead of away from Him.  And when we come to our senses, He simply opens His arms wide and welcomes us back in with a great big bear hug.

Am I being fruitful with the gifts that God blessed me with, or am I producing bitter grapes?  Both in my life and the ones that I have an influence on?

Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me today to be mindful of the fruit I am producing.  I pray that I will not produce bitter grapes in my life or in those I have influence in.  Let me produce 30, 60, or 100 times what You have planted in me.  I pray for those that think that God has given up on them.  My prayer is that they will see that You are standing with arms wide open waiting for them to repent and return to You, as You have always promised.  In Jesus' name, Amen!




God Bless!!!