For the months of May and June, we’ll be exploring God’s handiwork in our lives. Last week, we reflected on our purpose, drawing from the biblical analogy of a vineyard, noting that God planted us by design. This week, the second devotion on the analogy of a vineyard helps us understand God’s intentions for us:

IN WORD - The owner of the vineyard tends to it carefully. He clears it of stones, plants it with the very best vines, prunes it precisely, and harvests it with great enthusiasm. The fact that Isaiah’s image of the Vinedresser is presented in the context of futility and frustration should not distract from this revelation of God. Regardless of our sin,
He is still the Gardener who cares, who relentlessly cultivates, and who will not be disappointed in the end. Historically, the point of this parable for Judah was that the Vinedresser was going to have to prune His vines severely. The sins of the nation were too great and the repentance too slow in coming for God to let the vines grow at will. This parable of the vineyard informed His people that His discipline would fall; Babylon would come and sack the holy city, and Judah’s captivity would be devastating. The fruitless vineyard required drastic measures.
From an eternal view, however, the parable of the vineyard points more to the nature of God than to the nature of His people. Yes, we have sinned and need a Savior, and the Vinedresser has provided that. But in the heart of this master cultivator, we can also see His relentless pursuit of abundance—growth, fruitfulness, prosperity, and the finest finished product in the field. And His efforts never fall short.
IN DEED - Though the parable of the vineyard was written to a nation, it has a personal application as well. We can legitimately view God as our personal vinedresser, the Gardener who is patiently, precisely, and effectively cultivating us for the best fruit possible. He’s a master at His trade, so He knows exactly what He is doing with you—even when it hurts. He can be trusted. Rest in His care today. Trust Him with the time and weather, the harsh elements of your surroundings, the other branches on the vine—with everything. Realize that He’s even more committed to your abundance than you are. “You—one magnificent branch in the Father’s vineyard—were made for abundance.” – Bruce Wilkinson (in “Worship the King” by Chris Tiegreen)

If God planted us for a purpose, we can be sure that everything He does with us, even painful pruning, is not by coincidence or by chance. If so, we can be assured that all things will work out for our good. Read Psalm 139 and 2 Corinthians 4 and 5 this week. Reflect on what God is doing in your life and ask the Holy Spirit to grant you discernment as to how He is shaping you during this season of life. Have a blessed day! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam