Isaiah chapter 27 kept me thinking this week. I found myself continuing to think about the invitation to the briers and thorns to come to God for refuge and to make peace with him:
“In that day – ‘Sing about a fruitful vineyard: I, the Lord, watch over it; I water it continually. I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it. I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle; I would set them all on fire. Or else let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with me, yes, let them make peace with me’” (Isaiah 27:2-5). Throughout the rest of the chapter, the prophecy contrasts God’s fruitful vineyard against a picture of a desolate wasteland with directionless people with no understanding, and he’s inviting them back into worship and back into covenant relationship.
Jesus teaches in John chapter 15: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
I’m sure Jesus was thinking of the words of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah when he was inviting his disciples into deeper relationship and exhorting them to remain in him. I’m challenged to stay tethered to the life-giving vine, so I don’t become detached and drifting, suddenly finding myself no longer a branch but a brier or a thorn! But there is hope if that does happen! The Lord invites the brier and thorn to come and make peace with him. That is such good, reassuring news.
Isn’t that the whole message of the gospel spelled out over and over again, throughout the centuries, in the books of the Bible? Return to the Lord! He’s merciful and kind! He’s not angry! He can make the dry wasteland of your life into a fruitful garden! The invitation is ALWAYS OPEN! I implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God!