Worthless Wood

Scripture: Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything! Ezekiel 15:2-5

Observation: Grapes, the grape vine, and wine are used by God repeatedly as blessings. Vineyards are metaphors for the world and prosperity, and in real life in Judah a good grape harvest was essential for life. So God turns this around ... the vine itself - cut off from the plant - is worthless. As a source of wood, it has no purpose, and once burned in a fire it can't even be used to make charcoal or salvaged for any useful purpose at all. Once a grape vine is cut and therefore not producing fruit, it is a completely useless piece of wood.

This is certainly part of the metaphor of the vine for God. After centuries of blessing Israel and Judah with bountiful harvests from large vineyards to make good wine, he is cutting off the vines, and they will have no purpose whatsoever. More so once he burns Jerusalem, they will become even "much less" than useless.

However, there is really only one reason why someone cuts apart a vineyard in the first place: It has stopped producing good fruit, typically due to diseases within the roots. Of course, this has been at the core of God's wrath against Judah - their root of belief is diseased to the point that the only recourse is to tear out the vineyard.

Application: Going personal ... how are my roots? I know I struggle daily with keeping God central in my life and my thoughts. I am quick to pursue earthly issues and goals - on worldly challenges and my personal wisdom to solve them - rather than pursuing God's work and will around me. I am easily distracted by the wanderings of my own mind, rather than focusing on the reality of both good and evil around me, celebrating one and seeking God's plan for the other.

It is not good enough to think "well, I'm better than most". That is demonstrably wrong. I need to sink my roots deeper and make them healthy. I need to do that by focusing my thought life on Jesus, and aligning my daily work to those thoughts. There are days I do this well, and there are days I don't do this at all. I can start with an understanding of what I am doing right on the good days, and building on those behaviors, thoughts, words, and actions. I want to be a good vine, producing good fruit ... for I know that, as a cut-off piece of wood, I am worthless.

Prayer: Lord, I ask you to order my steps every day. I know this starts with surrendering my mind, and I do that today. Please aid me in keeping my mind both open to you, and filled with your thoughts and ways and work. In this manner, may my daily walk align with you. Amen.