Thistles and Thorns

I went on a walk with a good friend a while ago through a vineyard. I had always wanted to walk through a vineyard and eat the fresh, juicy grapes. Except my idea was to "trespass" and "steal" making something small and insignificant seem like an exciting and dangerous adventure. But let me get back to the story... It was a beautiful and warm day and to share it with such a good friend felt so special. As we walked through the rows of vines we were sharing stories and laughing out loud when unexpectedly I felt a sharp pain in the soul of my foot that shot up to my leg. Somehow the stickers and thorns had lodged themselves into the soul of my thin flip-flops causing me to come to a quick halt. I had to interrupt the conversation to pull the thorns out of my shoe. After pricking my fingers a couple of times I finally removed them and we continued on, sharing dreams and goals still laughing from time to time when not more than 20 steps later I had to dislodge the thistles and thorns yet again. It got worse and worse and before I knew it our conversations started falling apart from all the interruptions the thorns caused. The laughter had died, and both of us had hid our frustration about this little problem. It seems silly, but when we made it back to regular ground we were both relieved and tried to pick up the lost conversation that had been spoiled from those sin cursed thorns. Of course it doesn't seem like a hard thing for two close friends to do, but the conversation had been ruined the laughter was gone. It brought little relief to go our separate ways and not have to deal with the thorns anymore. The pain just amplified.

We all have thistles and thorns in our life that seem to cause us pain. We walk through this vineyard, I like to call life, and it's a beautiful walk and even better when shared with a good friend. But sometimes we get stuck in a patch of thorns. We try to stay strong and keep going, living with the pain and putting it in the back of our mind. Eventually the wounds become so severe that there is nothing we can do about it. But today I read a verse while I was doing devotions that made this whole story have a happy ending.

"At that same time, a fine vineyard will appear. There's something to sing about! I, God, tend it. I keep it well-watered. I keep careful watch over it so that no one can damage it... Even if it gives Me thistles and thorns, I'll just pull them out and burn them up. Let that vine cling to Me for safety, let it find a good and whole life with Me, let it hold on for a good and whole life."

Isaiah 27:2-5

Even though I found a few thorns and thistles in my vineyard and just happened to walk right in the middle of them, there is someone who wants to help me make my vineyard beautiful. He wants to get rid of all those painful thorns and thistles. It takes time to rake them out, but I can depend on Him and trust that He won't leave me when I have to stop to pull them out of my shoe. He gives us friends to laugh with as we walk through the vineyard. They may come and go, but if I let God tend to my vineyard and cling to Him, one day I'll be able to share the walk with good company in laughter without being interrupted by the thorns and thistles.