SourceGood day to you all and trusting God you are faring well by his grace. Today marks day 191 of the bible study plan and today's reading was from the book of the prophet Isaiah. We are studying chapters 5-8. Reading through these chapters, one struck me most in my study was the first few verses in the beginning of chapter 5.
The Vineyard of the Lord Destroyed
1 Let me sing for my beloved
my love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
2 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;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
and men of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?
5 And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;[a]
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
6 I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.
7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
and he looked for justice,
but behold, bloodshed;[b]
for righteousness,
but behold, an outcry![c]
(Isai 5:1-7 ESV)
In the above scriptures, God uses a vineyard to describe his people Israel and describles his labour into the vineyard. He describes the effort he has put into the vineyard(Israel) and instead of the vineyard bringing forth good grapes, it brought forth wild grapes. This was the situation of things and God proceeds to describe his judgment upon his vineyard(his people).
When I was thinking on this scripture, I placed myself in the place of Israel and began to ponder upon all that God has invested in me. The gifts, the blessings, favour and everything I need to fulfill his purposes in my life. He has equipped me with everything I need and he expects results but am I bringing forth these results?
It is so sad that sometimes, we only bring excuses which most at times are so silly before God as to why we failed him. We rarely can say confidently that we are producing fruits with the labour he has invested in us. God expects us to yield good fruits. As good servants that we are, the master expects us to yield fruits. That' s why heaven has blessed you, given you gifts, talents etc. It is not for you or your personal gain but all that is for Kingdom business and we will give an account to the master on how we used our gifts.
Beloved, this day I want you to just take a deep reflection on what you have been doing with God's investment in you. His gifts, blessings, favour etc. Have you been using it wisely? Are you fruitful?
PRAYER
LORD, thank you for today's word and thank you for your grace upon my life. Father, I appreciate for finding me worthy to invest your labour in me. Forgive me if I have not used your investments wisely and for being unfruitful. I am sorry Lord. Father, I pray you will help me to be zealous to do your work. Bless the work of my hands Lord that I may return with fruits. Amen!