Kept Night and Day

"In that day sing to her, "A vineyard of red wine! ³ I, the LORD, keep it, I water it every moment; lest any hurt it, I keep it night and day."

Isaiah 27:2-3

Many times in the Old Testament the nation Israel is compared to a vineyard.  The day spoken of here is after Jesus defeats Satan and establishes His throne over all.  God chose Israel as His inheritance, and His eyes are always upon His people for good.  He caused the nation of Israel to flourish, and even now offers Living Water to all who come to Him and drink.

When a vineyard was planted, the wine dresser took many steps to ensure it was fenced, guarded, irrigated, and carefully pruned to be more fruitful.  There are many varieties of grapes which produce wine, and in this passage Israel is compared to a vineyard which would produce red wine.  Night and day God remains vigilant to protect and provide for the needs of His people.  Under the New Covenant ushered in through the shed blood of Jesus, He has purchased other sheep (Gentiles) who are adopted into the family of God by the Gospel of grace.  But His eyes are on Israel still, and will not disinherit them.

As I read this text this morning, it reminded me of Naboth who treasured his own inheritance provided by God, land passed down through generations.  King Ahab desired the vineyard of Naboth because it was close to his residence and wanted it for a garden of herbs.  He offered a better vineyard in return or the agreed cash value.  Naboth's response could not have been more clear in 1 Kings 21:3:  "But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!"  Naboth refused to sell the inheritance he treasured, and God will not part with Israel His vineyard either.

King Ahab ended up with the vineyard through his wicked and crafty wife Jezebel.  She organised false witnesses to claim Naboth blasphemed against God and the king - interestingly the same false accusations levelled against Jesus!  Naboth was stoned for his vineyard, and Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world.  After the death of Naboth the prophet Elijah was sent by God to prophesy against Ahab as he took possession of the vineyard - and Jezebel too.  God has prophesied death and destruction upon Satan for his crimes:  the anti-Christ and Satan that old serpent will one day be utterly destroyed for their wickedness.

How good God is to His people, to willingly die so we might live!  The LORD keeps His vineyard, and He keeps followers of Jesus night and day.  By faith we are grafted into the Vine who is Jesus.  1 Peter 1:3-5 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."  Our hope is a living hope in Christ and we are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation.  Night and day we are safe in His hands for all who are in Christ are His chosen inheritance.

Redemption for Every Affliction

"Come to the foot of Calvary, 'cause there is redemption for every affliction here at the foot of Calvary."

Rescuer, by Rend Collective

Songs written to worship God are a great benefit to believers.  Whilst songs should never be our source of biblical doctrine, they often contain truth upon which to meditate and proclaim.  How good it is for our minds to be drawn to consider the greatness of our God and the power of the Gospel.

Some people imagine they must labour to be accepted by God and saved.  Some make pilgrimages to distant lands to visit holy sites, and others seek the counsel of gurus and shamans desiring to be healed.  The Gospel transcends this world because all freely offered by God's grace is eternal.  There is no holy mount to ascend, no temple to visit, or a sacrifice to give to receive salvation, healing, and redemption:  these are received by faith in Jesus Christ, the "Good LORD" the song speaks of.

Since God has redeemed us from the curse for the blessings of God forever, it follows every affliction (and what we perceive to be good) are also redeemed by Jesus.  When we receive the Gospel by faith, we are born again by the Holy Spirit spoken of in Romans 8:26-28, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  God has redeemed us, and though we cannot know how God will redeem our afflictions the example of Jesus shows He can.  He has divine purpose even in afflictions.

"Everything happens for a reason," people say, but this cliche falls woefully short of the reality:  what man intends for evil, God can use for good (Genesis 5:20).  God allows people to be afflicted so they might see their need for Him.  Being afflicted is not attractive, but it is profitable as orchestrated by God.  Psalm 119:71 says, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes."  Affliction for sins can even lead to redemption of our souls.  Webster describes "redemption" like this:  "the purchase of God's favour by the death and sufferings of Christ; the ransom or deliverance of sinners from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God's violated law by the atonement of Christ."  Affliction has a way of strengthening faith times of ease cannot.

The redemption of the Gospel does not promise the end of our current struggles, temptations, or weakness, but that we have been redeemed by God's grace.  Redeeming does not mean alleviating but leveraging even painful experiences for God's good, eternal purposes.  Knowing our God and what Jesus has accomplished through His suffering on Calvary helps place our light affliction in perspective.  Praise the LORD He is a Redeemer, and in Jesus Christ we are most blessed.

You Are Salt and Light

At the Refresh Conference in Secret Harbour WA, pastor John Spencer made a good observation from the Sermon on the Mount.  He read the words of Jesus spoken to His disciples in Matthew 5:13-15:  "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."

During a talk pastor John mentioned he previously heard this passage preached to urge people to make an effort to be salt and light.  He pointed out Jesus did not teach this as an ideal to strive for, but the reality of our identity because of our faith in Jesus Christ:  we are the salt of the earth; we are the light of the world.  No one can earn status as salt or light because of the efforts of their flesh, just like we cannot call God our Father unless we are born again through faith in Jesus.  Because we are the salt of the earth and light of the world we are to recognise this as aspects of our God-given identity and embrace it.

God has created us to be salt and light to have a profound impact on people and this world as Jesus lives His life through us.  Salt is flavourful, and light exposes what is in darkness.  If salt is to impart flavour to foods, it must be mixed in.  Jesus mixed in with the people and spoke the truth of God's Word faithfully.  He did not alter the flavour of God's Word because some people would dislike what it said.  Jesus continued concerning light in verse Matthew 5:16:  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Just as a lamp was placed in an elevated position to give light to an entire room, so we are to hold God's Word in high esteem.  We do good works - not so we might be seen or recognised by men - but because God has prepared them for us to enter into.  When we do good works as unto the LORD, God will receive the glory even if we are forgotten.  He has seen it, and that is what counts.

Jesus told the disciples they were salt and light so they could be intentional in fulfilling the purposes God intended for them.  We are only salt and light by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, so our reliance must remain upon God to live up to our high calling.  It was the mistake of the Galatians to be born again by faith in Jesus through the Holy Spirit and then try to earn God's favour through working, and we can also mistakenly think it depends upon us to work to become salt and light by our efforts.  Knowing who God is and what He has called us to be instructs us how He has called us to His good purposes, and teachings in the Sermon of the Mount is a great picture of what salt and light looks like:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

God's Word Tries Us

God's ways are higher than ours, and His ways are far better too.  God has plans and purposes He is faithful to fulfil, redeeming things meant for evil for good.  What we perceive as setbacks and obstacles God makes most fruitful as He brings us to His desired end.

The life of Joseph provides a great example of this.  In his youth God gave him two dreams recorded in scripture whose interpretations were understood:  God would elevate Joseph to a position above that of his father, mother, and brothers though the eleventh of twelve sons.  His brothers hated him and cast him into a pit, he was sold as a slave in Egypt, falsely accused of sexual assault, and then thrown into prison where he remained for years.  All his life seemed caught in a downward trajectory.  Yet in his trials Joseph continued to look beyond his circumstances in fear of the God who ordained them.  Far removed from family and the familiar, Joseph trusted God.

Psalm 105:16-19 gives insight into God's providential plan:  "Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. ¹⁷ He sent a man before them-- Joseph--who was sold as a slave. ¹⁸ They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. ¹⁹ Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him."  Verse 17 says God sent a man before Israel and his children.  His brothers desired to murder Joseph, but God prevented this and had him sold as a slave.  He was purchased by slave traders, made a slave in Potiphar's house, then laid in irons.  From the age of 17 until he was 30 years old, Joseph was deprived of all freedoms he once enjoyed.  All the while the dreams he had as a teen were in the back of his mind, reminding him of what God had said.  Until God fulfilled His word, the seeming disconnect between God's promise to him and his situation tested him:  would Joseph give room to despair, or would his faith remain in God alone?

There are many ways God uses to test and refine our character, and a couple of means often employed are painful trials and the passage of time.  Will we trust God in the midst of pain and uncertainty?  As the days and decades fly by will we continue to cling to the promise of God which seems impossible?  God brought Joseph from the pit to the palace in His time.  The lessons Joseph learned as a slave served him well as a ruler, and God granted him wisdom and discernment to prosper in seasons of abundance and famine.  No matter the circumstances, God remained sovereign and worthy of reliance.  Joseph needed refinement before God's plans would be fulfilled, and it is true for us as well.

What seemingly impossible promise has God made to you?  There will be temptations to doubt and to speed along the process by leaning on our own understanding, by doing what seems best to us.  Refuse this temptation, to take matters into your own hands.  The truth of God's word which seems to contradict reality works to refine us in preparation for the fulfilment.  Trust the word of the LORD, that the doors Jesus opens none can shut, and the doors Jesus shuts none can open.  It is only in His strength we can walk through the door, and He will accomplish His plans concerning us today and always.