The Vineyard
Isaiah 5: 1-7
I don’t have my own kids. I’m an auntie to a lot of them, sometimes by blood and sometimes not. I know that it takes a lot to raise kids. It is a group effort, or as some may say, “It takes a village.” We pour so much into them. We try to raise them right. We try to love them. We try to teach lessons that will serve them well in the present and in the future. We try to keep them safe. We try to keep them well-adjusted. We pour so much into them.
And sometimes no matter how much we do or how much we give, the kids don’t turn out the way we planned. Sometimes that’s okay. We all need to carve our own paths. Sometimes, though, it feels like they reject everything that we’ve tried to instill in them. They reject everything that was important to us. They reject every lesson and every bit of care that we have tried to give them. It leaves many good, loving parents wondering, “Where did I go wrong?”
We all have free will, something endowed to us by God. We all have the ability to choose to follow what our parents intended for us or to choose our own path. Sometimes that works out well. Sometimes it doesn’t. In today’s lesson from Isaiah, I can imagine God at some point wondering, “Where did I go wrong?” The prophet sings a heartfelt song about God and God’s vineyard—Israel. It’s a parable of love and disappointment. God, the loving owner, planted His vineyard with care, choosing fertile soil, clearing stones, building a watchtower, and planting the choicest vines. Everything necessary for growth and fruitfulness was provided. Yet, when harvest time came, He found only wild, bitter grapes. I’m sure some parents can relate to that. Yet this message from the prophet doesn’t just apply to Israel. It applies to us today.
God has given us so much, loved us so much, and cared for us so much. God has given us everything we need to live fruitful, faithful lives – the Holy Spirit, God’s word, community, and grace. Yet sometimes our fruit is bitter and wild. It is bitter with selfishness, hard-heartedness, complacency, and misguided self-reliance. God isn’t looking for perfection—God’s looking for fruit. Justice. Righteousness. Compassion. When we live in response to God’s care, our lives reflect God’s heart. But when we ignore His provision, the results are sour, not sweet.
Prayer
Generous God, you give us all we need to live faithful and fruitful lives that
reflect your heart. Direct our hearts towards your will. Strengthen our reliance on your Spirit so that we may bear good fruit. In your name. Amen.
Rev. Dana Ezell
