The lyrics of one of my favorite worship songs lifts up the idea of praising Jesus with all that I am. When I sing it, my focus is solely on my Savior who sacrificed His life that we might receive true life, completely on the One whose heart beats with passionate love for us. As I sing the beautiful chorus, it helps me express my deep, deep love for Jesus.
Isaiah once wrote down the lyrics to a love song about God: “Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard” (Isaiah 5:1). The prophet told of God’s great love and what He had done for His people. God is the active owner, designer, digger, builder, planter, provider, and protector of His vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-2).
Having done everything necessary to get the vines to grow well, the owner expected a bountiful harvest. Instead of sweet grapes, however, “the grapes that grew were bitter” (Isaiah 5:2).
Next, God withheld His protection, and the vines were trampled and destroyed by wild animals (Isaiah 5:5). Without His provision of rain, the vines died. “I [commanded] the clouds to drop no rain on it” (Isaiah 5:6). This reveals that the vineyard belonged to the Lord. He could do with it as He chose.
God is looking for good fruit in our lives. Is the kind of fruit you’re producing good or bad? What’s the state of your vineyard?
There’s no doubt that Jesus loves you. But are you deeply in love with Him? We can sing a love song, but our heart might actually be cold. Do you love Jesus as much as He loves you? With Isaiah, we can confidently declare, “Now I will sing for the one I love” (Isaiah 5:1). And may we do so with a passion that reflects the love He has revealed to us!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Jonah 3:1–4:11
More:
Read Hosea 14:2, Hebrews 13:15-16, Galatians 5:22-23, and Colossians 1:10 to see the kind of good fruit we can offer to God.
Next:
Jesus said that “a tree is identified by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33). What good fruit are you producing that tells people you’re a Christian? How will you express your love to Jesus today?
Gene on June 4, 2014 at 7:26 am
Oh the love the Father has for us. Has he not planted us in fertile soil at the foot of the cross? I’m so much like the people of Jerusalem and Judah. What more could the Father have done for us…and yet he continues to pursue us and bring us closer to himself.
lament on June 4, 2014 at 11:16 am
This devotional completely misses God’s grace and misses the message of Isaiah 5.
Gene has it correct. We all are like the people of Jerusalem and Judah. But by God’s grace and mercy we are a foul vinyard worthy of being uprooted and destroyed.
I bow before God and receive His amazing grace.
daisymarygoldr on July 7, 2014 at 1:26 am
Isaiah’s love song breaks my heart. The lyrics are no sweet notes: “What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done?”
When parents of foolish children lament ‘What could have been done more?’ we try to comfort them with words like “Don’t worry, Trust God.” But when God Himself makes this sad statement, there are no words with which we can comfort our Creator’s heart.
So, when bitter grapes grieved God to withhold His protection and command the clouds to drop no rain—to let the vines die and be destroyed, the wicked will complain that God is not good and gracious. But all those among us who love the Lord, sing with one accord: “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.”