To Blossom and Bud
Today’s Verse:
I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. ~Isaiah 27:3
My father grew up on a farm. He loved gardening. Even though he worked seven days a week and 12- to 14-hour-days for many years, he would spend time every day in his garden. This included caring for numerous fruit trees, a small vegetable garden, orchids, and a koi pond. For the Jews, having a vineyard was the height of gardening. God uses the symbol of a vineyard to speak of His love and special purpose that He has for His people.
We see the coveted ownership.
“In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.” A vineyard of red wine speaks of a vineyard that produces luscious, sweet, and delightful grapes from the vine. It produced both great quality and great quantity. It was coveted because the owner invested heavily of his capital, effort, and time into it. It produced the best because it was given the best. The vineyard beautifully speaks of God’s special love that He has for His people. We are His purchased possession, bought with the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Because He owns us, we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. God gives His best to us because He loves us. Take a moment today to meditate on how much God loves you and that He sees great potential through your life. Oh, how He loves you and me!
We see the careful oversight.
“I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.” He is personal in His oversight. “I the LORD do keep it.” In Genesis 3, we read that God walked in the cool of the garden. He comes to us personally. He is plenteous in His oversight. Gardens need daily watering in order to be healthy and to grow. He waters, or nourishes, us every moment. Water is symbolic of the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. Every moment of every day, we should be occupied with God’s Word and Spirit affecting us spirit, soul, and body. He is protective in His oversight. He keeps and watches over us at all times of the day. Night time is when the little foxes come to nibble at the vines. Their nibbling is destructive. Daytime is when the heat of the day can dry and wither the vines. Our Lord keeps us night and day. He is our shadow from the heat and our Protector from the little foxes that would attack us.
We see the copious outgrowth.
“He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” The vineyard takes root, blossoms, buds, and is very fruitful. The life that is rooted in our Lord Jesus Christ must take root downward in order to bear fruit upward. God desires that our lives bear much fruit. This is only possible when His Word abides in us and our praying is frequent and in faith. John 15:7-8 tells us that God is glorified when we bear much fruit. Much fruit means answered prayers, souls that come to Christ, and a witness that has a worldwide impact. He said that Israel’s fruit will “fill the face of the world.” Jacob prophesied that his vine would go over the wall. A fruitful Christian life seeks to extend the gospel outreach throughout the world. As a church, we do this through our Faith Promise Missions offering. We do it by helping support missionaries who are winning souls on foreign soil.
God loves you! God desires that you are abounding in His love, grace, and power. Abide in Christ. Let Him work so much in you that your gospel influence can fill the face of the earth.
Have a fruitful God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalms 40-45