Faith, Righteousness, and Wine (or Whine)

On the way to work one morning I was thinking about some news I'd gotten that was very unsettling. As I drove I was talking to God about it. I was speaking out loud to God (very loud) telling Him all of the things that I wanted to say to the person who I felt "caused" the unsettling news.

As I drove I recalled my morning devotion; It was about how wine comes from grapes and how grapes have to be smashed and stepped on before they can become the fine form of priceless wine.

As I conversed "with" God it became clear that the "unsettling news" was growing into a battle of frustration and anger in my mind. Yet, this news was nothing over which I had control. It was not something I could fix myself with my own flesh and blood.

So I began to picture myself putting on the “Whole Armor of God,” (Ephesians).

The helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, my loins girded with truth, and my feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.

I took up the shield of faith in my left hand and was holding it firmly in front of me, and I had the sword of the Spirit in my right hand.

But then I could see myself slowly lowering the shield of faith toward the ground. I said to God, “This shield is too heavy for me to carry.”

As I tried to walk, the shield further lowered to the ground. I struggled to put one foot in front of the other as I walked. I said out loud, “God, I am so tired of being a grape, when is all of this going to end?" He only said to me "My grace is sufficient for you." To which I replied, "Then surely I will become a fine bottle of wine by the time my life on earth is over."

Within a millisecond I saw in my mind's eye that though the shield of faith, which was still in my hand, but resting on the ground, was not held where it could protect me from an enemy.

Yet, the breastplate of righteousness was still in place: it was there, sealed by the Holy Spirit, protecting me. My prayers to the Almighty, with supplication in the Spirit, kept me safe in God and His great peace fell upon me; my heart and mind turned to Christ Jesus. The unsettling news was no longer at the forefront of my mind, stirring my emotions causing distress.

How faithful He remains when I am not.

Now, I was thinking about the Lord who faced much more than unsettling news in His life. He walked on this earth and was trampled upon by mankind -- stepped on, smashed; faced mockery; beatings; and died the cruelest of all deaths.

He did all of it by choice for mankind - no whining, he just became wine. Even though He knew the condition of man, rather their "depravity" or "nobility," He still came and He died so that we could be reconciled to and have a relationship with God.

I am glad God was with me that morning while driving to work...and listened to me whine. Without that talk, my day would have been consumed with something I, humanly, could do nothing about.

With my thoughts set on Him, my loins girded with truth, and my feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace -- and my emotion contained -- I approached the person who I felt "caused" the unsettling news with love later in the day.

Whoever, whatever, the "cause," of the unsettling news, the experience allowed me to know the beauty of not feeling like a loose grape rolling around aimlessly, with whining emotions out of control; rather, I experienced safety and security, found in His presence (as wine would be within the confines of its bottle).

Blessings, Grace, Peace, and Love… Seed Sower Deb