In His Vineyard / Under His Wing - Day 119 Through the Bible

Photos taken while on a spring drive through the mountains with a 7th-generation matriarch of  Mt. Celo Church.  Mountain laurel, rhododendron, galax - the inset is of a rocking chair and porch railing crafted from the beautiful limbs of the rhododendron and mountain laurel.  Galax is highly valuable for filler in floral bouquets.

In His Vineyard - Jesus's parable (Luke 20:1-26) and Ruth and Naomi back in the Promised Land (Ruth 1-4)  A caveat from Jesus: Beware of those claiming to be His who are not - even within His vineyard.  I quote Spurgeon on this often.  He delineated between the "professing" believer and the "possessing" believer.  Our churches (the vineyard) have become so carnal, that it is often difficult to distinguish them from the world.  Jesus calls these people "wolves in sheep's clothing" and "hypocrites."  Luke 20:20: "So they (the chief priests and scribes) watched Him and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor"...(20:23) "But He perceived their craftiness."  Ruth and Naomi were Providentially led back to God's vineyard - the Promised Land with His chosen people.  But even godly Boaz warned Ruth that she must stay in his field, with his women.  He warned the men to not touch her.  There was danger even there in His vineyard - the Promised Land.  Of course, this continued throughout Judaic biblical history and during the First Coming.  In the parable, servants (the prophets) were sent to gather the fruit of the vineyard for the owner (God).  They met with abuse ("were beaten and treated shamefully"), with oppression, theft, and fraud ("sent away empty-handed") and abandoned ("cast out".)  Then the owner sent His only beloved son.  The son was murdered and cast out so that the evil pretenders could steal the vineyard and the fruit of it for themselves.

My Lesson / Application: This is why we study, meditate and apply His Word; spend time alone with Him in prayer; sit under the Ministry of the Word - that we may discern, have His knowledge, His wisdom, and know and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit - not that of the world.

Under His Wing - (Ruth 2:12, 3:9) - Boaz pronounces a blessing on Ruth upon meeting her:  "The LORD repay your work and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."  Ruth later reminds Boaz of this - seeing Boaz as God's agent in her life - the Hebrew go'el.  "I am Ruth, your maidservant.  Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative."  And in the parable, Jesus says there WILL be recompense for those who have been chosen to care for His vineyard and His people but who mistreat them:  (Luke 20:15-19) "Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?  He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others."  And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"  Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone'?  "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people - for the knew He had spoken this parable against them."

My Lesson / Application:  In the world, we may be treated cruelly, unjustly, forsaken, abused, oppressed, abandoned - so were the prophets, so was Jesus Christ - even among God's Chosen people to whom they had been sent.  Those who profess to be Christians may have ulterior motives that have nothing to do with God and His purposes.  If there is a hope among this age of increasing apostasy, it is that this winnowing - this revealing of the true sons and daughters is becoming clearer, the need for pretense is becoming unnecessary, the "cloak" is unnecessary, Christianity is little respected in this world. The greatest need for spiritual eyes and discernment is now within what remains of the church.  Our refuge is still in His true vineyard and under His everlasting wings.  Our reward for faithful service is still with Him.

Psalm 52:6-9 from Today's Reading:  

"The righteous also shall see and fear and shall laugh at him, saying, 'Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness."  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever; I will praise You forever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good."