Grace for a Grape like me!

I have re-read my last posting several times. It is nice to be able to reflect on your thoughts and to discover that perhaps things never are as distressing and hopeless as you sometimes make them out to be.... It also allows me to ponder on the promises of God: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Eph. 2:8-10) He has His own plans lined up just for me! I have to believe and to trust that, and also to realize that He is already using me in ways that I might not even be able to see.

I heard a GREAT message today at church. My preacher is Rubel Shelly, and I think he is the BEST! I feel so blessed to be able to sit at his feet each week. He and John York-- another of our incredible preacher/teachers at Woodmont-- have started a study of Isaiah. It has been wonderful so far, and today's message was so relevant to me. You can read or listen to the whole
sermon at http://www.rubelshelly.com/content.asp?CID=18551. Today's text was from Isaiah chapter 5.

The highlight for me was the whole concept of God as the vineyard planter and gardener. He has prepared the soil, provided sun, rain, and created the perfect environment for our growth, but how do we so often respond?! When He returns to see what harvest His vineyard has produced, He finds not ripe grapes, but instead, rotting raisins! Isaiah is lamenting over the state of God's chosen people, Israel, 8 centuries before Christ... But it is SO true about us today, too.

He has blessed us in every way, and He expects a "harvest." Yet, we typically decide to choose to be our own gardeners-- we strangle ourselves as a result of our selfish sin and produce no fruit.

The concept of producing "good fruit" hits me because I think that is what my last blog somewhat addressed-- my frustration over not recognizing the "grapevine" that God wants me to be-- What type of grape am I?-- When will I start producing? It is really a silly thing to question the One who has planted you... In Isaiah it is even more convicting and even sinful:

Woe to those who say, "Let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it. Let it approach, let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come, so we may know it." (Isaiah 5:19)

It is not my job to question the Vineyard owner. It is my job to strive each day to produce the righteous fruit that He has planned for me to do since before eternity began. That is such an overwhelming proposition that I can't even begin to get my tiny little mind around it!

So, I think I will be content, sitting in my little plot of freshly tilled soil. I will let His cleansing rain pour over me. I will soak in the rays of His Son. And, maybe, if I am still, and willing to let Him prune and train me, I will begin to produce the exact harvest He is looking for. Please, Lord!