When I feel overwhelmed…

 

Yesterday was lovely. After church brunch, I sat with a young girl and we talked about everything from the qualities of light, to world travel, to the new Christians in our midst, to why her brother is so popular. Hubby and I went home, had a long nap before meeting our son and daughter-in-law for a delicious supper, then back here to watch our home team play hockey. Went to bed totally exhausted, but woke up this morning feeling cluttered.

My desk is covered with quilt patterns, etc. that are sorted from much I tossed, a half-finished quilt on the design wall, financial software isn’t working properly, several files to read/delete, a very needy family member is in the hospital, the sermon yesterday added to my convictions about being too quick to see the worst in all situations, and here I am doing that with the busyness in my mind, seeing the worst.

Today’s reading tells me to not be concerned, to abide in Christ. I sang a few songs that said the same thing. I know Jesus is here for me, yet realize He will not tackle my to-do list. That is my job. I want to do it with joy — actually, I’m not sure I even want to do it. Escaping all this means I need a holiday? Or to just quit feeling sorry for myself and quit focusing on the negatives and be thankful? There is much to go in that list! For a start:

One: I belong to Jesus. He died for me, and in Him “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1–2)

Two: He is the vine and I am only a branch, yet abiding in Him means I can bear fruit - certainly the fruit of the Spirit which is all I need for each day:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22–25)

Three: I can turn away from the pressures of life. Jesus gives me all that I need to deal with them. He also says: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7)

This means all that is on my heart for family, friends, church, all situations, will be done by Him — I just need to rest, abide, continue in Christ, turning away from this sense of clutter into the freedom of faith — meaning I trust Him regarding all that is making me feel overwhelmed. He says this…

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)

… and because He is able to protect me and be with me, I do not need to feel overwhelmed.

PRAY: Jesus, help me get out of Your to-do list and tackle only the things that I’m to do, starting with worship and giving thanks to You for being with me and with those on my ‘concern’ list. You are able and You love them even more than I do. May You grant grace and peace, and enable me to carry on.

Part of God’s Vineyard

 

Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei is quoted: “The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.”

I don’t know if this man read the Bible but these words remind me of the words of Christ. He called Himself the VINE and the Bible speaks of how God shines on His people to bring them to maturity.

In the OT, the vine is a source of fruit as well as wine and is used metaphorically as a symbol of life and fertility. Each person living under his own vine pictured to the nation’s prosperity and stability but those who turn away from God are connected with pagans: “For their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of poison; their clusters are bitter.” (Deuteronomy 32:32)

Sometimes God’s judgment is called the destruction or withering of vines as when the prophet foretold how a curse would destroy the earth: “The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. The mirth of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled.” (Isaiah 24:7–8) and “All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree.” (Isaiah 34:4)

These references point ahead to the NT statement made by Jesus. He said in John 15:1–5.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

As the vine was to Israel, Jesus is the ultimate vine, our source of life and spiritual growth. In order to retain true life and bear the fruit of the Spirit, I must remain attached to Him, drawing my spiritual nourishment and strength from Him, which is the only way my spiritual life can prosper and the only way I can be like Him.

This metaphor is used for other things such as a faithful wife in the OT and the last days in the NT when an angel is told to use his sickle in the vine of the earth. “So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.” (Revelation 14:18-19) The idea of a vine is both a comforting hope and an image of judgment.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. The words of Jesus are most helpful to me. The metaphor of Him as the Vine is strongly built on the use of this metaphor in the OT. Certainly in Him is life and fruitfulness. He is the source of joy and apart from Him I certainly have nothing and can do nothing. When His Spirit fills, He gives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Without Him, I care nothing about others, am unhappy and anxious, impatient and rude, selfish and disloyal, harsh and without any self-control. In my heart, the contrast is sharp, never mind what others might see. I’m so very thankful that He shines in my life to bring these good things to fruition and maturity — and that He would do that even if He had nothing else to do. I know for certain that apart from Him, I can do nothing of eternal value. What a wonder and what a blessing to be united to Jesus, the True Vine.