Your Grapes, My Grapes

"For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons;" (Heb 12:6–7a). God will discipline His children when needed because He loves us. Other times, He lets us go through challenging times that build our character and faith in Him. Our heavenly Father prepares us for what lies ahead, often using those circumstances to help others struggling in their faith walk or tell them of God's saving grace. Through it all—the good, bad, and ugly—we can trust God, our salvation. He is our shield; we can trust and rejoice in Him (Ps 28:7).

When you see God's saints with His peace and joy resting in and pouring from their lives, know that life's burdensome pressures came first—wine comes only by crushed and squeezed grapes. Jesus poured out His life for us; shed His life's blood for us. The Spirit of the living God lives within us; we have reason to rejoice, not complain or be weak. Oswald Chambers used a thought-provoking play on words for today's inspiration in his book, My Utmost for Highest. As God's "grapes," you and I decide whether others see/hear WINE or WHINE pouring from our lives. Whatever is inside our lives will eventually find its way outside. We have no excuse for joylessness, complaints, or weakness; the Lord is our strength and song, our salvation (Isa 12:2).