Isaiah 5:1-4 … “He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.” vs. 2
Isaiah’s little love song describes God as a lover, one who lavished care and attention on his vineyard, clearing away stones, planting choice vines, and even hewing out a wine vat in it. The vineyard, of course, was Israel, a privileged chosen nation who had brought only disappointment to her loving Lord. In this conflicted time there are some who are wondering whether this parable might not also be applied to our country. So much has been lavished upon us! We’ve had bold leaders who imagined this land of promise as a beacon of light for the world. They made bold statements about human equality and inalienable rights and enshrined them in our Declaration of Independence. And at times our country has even put those words into practice and has welcomed “the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses of humanity, yearning to breathe free.” But somehow along the way those ideals have slipped away. We never did grant equality to all, but stole the land from native peoples and used slaves to establish our economy. Racism has become endemic. We’ve abandoned truth and embraced wealth. And now, instead of welcoming the wretches of the world, we’re turning them away. Isaiah might rightly say that we’ve yielded wild grapes!
Thought for the Day: How can our country get things turned around?
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