e-vo for week of October 1

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday we have three texts about vineyards in addition to the portion of Philippians as we work our way through the continuous reading (lectio continua) of the epistles.

We will use our text from Isaiah to help focus our devotional time this week.

Peace,
Karl

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The Song of the Unfruitful Vineyard

Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?

And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!

Isaiah 5:1-7, NRSV

I was taken by the caption put on this portion scripture in the NET (New English Translation) which was "A Love Song Gone Sour". You gotta love the bad fruit pun.

This text is a picture of a loving vineyard keeper doing all that is possible to raise healthy vines that bear good fruit. It is a picture of a loving parent doing all that is possible to raise healthy children who develop into grounded and productive adults. It is the picture of any caretaker doing all that is possible to lead his or her charge to the best possible outcome.

No effort has been spared as rocks have been cleared, rains have been provided, a watchtower has been erected. With all the best efforts the best outcome is anticipated. But then reality kicks in.

Sometimes no effort is sufficient for the desired outcome. Vines have a way of growing their own ways. Children push away and sometimes plunge into dark places. Those needing care might choose the familiarity of addiction or unhealthy patterns or sub-par recovery over the challenges and struggles of getting to a better place. Those trying to help may well wring their hands and hang their hearts and cry out "What more was there for me to do that I have not done?"

Sometimes all that can happen is to let the circumstances run their courses. Hedges and protections and interventions may need to be lifted regardless of the consequence. Those we love might endure all sorts on attacks as a result of their own choices.

But even in the midst of all that God never forsakes us. In our gospel text the vineyard owner sends even his son to the unworthy tenants. The son, of course, is a picture of Jesus. We often are like the unworthy tenants who take what is not ours and traumatize others who are merely doing what God has called them to do. We are as often the ones needing the intervention as we are the one trying to bring about the intervention.

Thanks be to God that God's interventions never end. God's mercies are new every morning. Even if we dare to kill God's own son there is resurrection hope and a new start.

Dear God, we have been unfruitful vineyards. We have wandered our own ways and endured some of the consequences. Draw us deeply into your new mercies this day. Give us courage and patience as we reach out to others who have also strayed. Help us know the power of the resurrection hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. Amen.