The Withering of The Vine (2.4.16)

“The withering of the vine should not be a sight of presentation before either the eyes of man or of God.

The withering of the vine can be as a result of damage to the roots,

                                                                      of the lack of water,

                                                                      of the influx of disease,

                                                                      of excessive heat,

                                                                      of the approach of death,

                                                                      of the drifting of the sprays of man.

The withering of the vine can be as a result of a curse,

                                                                      of a loss of faith,

                                                                      of a lack of communication,

                                                                      of a feeding on the fruit as gathering in the bunches,

                                                                      of an infestation weakening the bearing of the branches,

                                                                      of the evidence of a lack of care,

                                                                      of the absence of a need for cultivation,

                                                                      of the absence of a pruning knife charged with the season for new life.

The withering of the vine can be revitalised with life,

                                          can have the yield restored,

                                          can repay the owner of the vineyard for the space so occupied.

The withering of the vine demands attention from the viticulturist,

                                                                                 the expert of experience,

                                                                                 the carrier of responsibility for:

                                                                                 the health within the vineyard,

                                                                                 the fruitfulness of the vineyard,

                                                                                 the preparation for the harvesting to new wineskins:

                                                            to be so filled with more than expectations,

                                                            to be so filled with acceptance to the palate,

                                                            to be so filled with colour and with flavour which speaks of the potential value of the vine,

                                                            to be so filled with storage capabilities which protect and honour the inputs of the past,

                                                            to be so filled by knowledge:

                                                                   as juice which spoils becomes the wine of purity in fulfilment of the harvester’s intent.

The withering of the vine yields below that for what it has been trained,

                                                                      for what has been expensed,

                                                                      for what has been expected,

                                                                      for what the dresser of the vineyard both required and needed in repayment of the effort.

The withering of the vine is not an example worthy of praise,

                                                                       worthy of duplication,

                                                                       worthy of an example to be followed,

                                                                       worthy of the bother to recall a past performance,

                                                                       worthy to assess the likelihood of success when the rot sets in.

The withering of the vine disgraces all the vineyard,

                                          does not bring honour to the ground wherein it roots,

                                          does not bring envy from the surrounding relatives,

                                          does not bring satisfaction of performance when comparing the results,

                                          does not bring certainty of tenure if the present indicates the future,

                                                                                                if bitterness is permitted to overwrite a grateful heart,

                                                                                                if the effort of man is not linked to the effort made by God.

The withering of the vine speaks of a weakness in meeting the needs of the vine,

                                          speaks of a lack of understanding from one charged with the upkeep of the vine,

                                          speaks of ignorance not replaced with knowledge from one failing in the meeting of obligations.

The withering of the vine can be halted by putting it under the care of God,

                                          can be healed by the blessings of God,

                                          can be reinvigorated with the learning of a destiny where life is freed from disease and worry:

                                                                              to be filled with the promises of God birthed from the sojourn on a cross.

The withering of the vine can be halted by being rooted in the truth,

                                                                by bearing the fruits of love,

                                                                by seeding the faith of righteousness,

                                                                by following in the footsteps of the master with the vineyard who gathers and collects:

                                                                                                      all who would be a vine and so learn to stretch their arms.

The withering of the vine can be halted by discarding all which causes rot,

                                                                 which carries dissatisfaction to the core of belief,

                                                                 which leaves open the doorways inviting unwelcome guests who will not leave,

                                                                                     who invite others to join them as malfeasants,

                                                                                     who neither love nor care for the host who fills the day
                                                                                    with groans and moans and travels in the night.

The withering of the vine can be prevented by a change of heart;

                                                                      by a change from The Spirit banished and sent to Earth:

                                                                                                        to The Spirit at home within the heavens;

                                                                      by a change from the paucity of the company of man to the glory of the company
                                                                                                                                                of God;

                                                                                        from hearing the monologues from the voices within the vineyard –

                                                                                                                                to the amazing authority as the vine begins to
                                                                                                            hear the uplifting voice of God.

The withering of the vine does not occur when the vine is truly adopted into the vineyard of God,

                                                                                          is truly bound by a commitment,

                                                                                          is truly established in a new beginning sealed as a new vine
                                                                                                                        within the vineyard:

                                                       with the rosiest of futures now to be experienced within the care of The Living Loving God.”