New Wine
Wine making is a fascinating process. To start out as grapes and result in a bold tasting drink.
As I listened to ‘New Wine’ – a new song by Hillsong – I thought the melody was beautiful and loved listening to it without really having a spiritual connection. I’d just choose iced tea or coffee over wine any day, simply out of preference, so a song about wine didn’t exactly resonate.
After listening to it for the tenth time, I Googled how wine was made and was taken back by how much it reflects our relationship with Jesus.
- Harvest: Just like our relationship with Christ, seeds were initially sown by someone, the seeds took and begin to and sprout, and finally a beautiful fruit was produced and ready to be used.
- Crushing and Pressing: Throughout our walk with Christ, we face trials and low of various kinds, and I think any Christian can admit that these are not our easiest times. They are rough and messy, and often painful.
- Time: Along with the crushing and pressing, it takes time to grow and develop into spiritual maturity.
- Wine: The drink the vineyards have worked hard and waited for. The product of perseverance and fixed eyes on Jesus.
I was in awe of how God used this to reflect his heart and plan for us. In awe of how this was going to reflect my World Race.
The Lord has equipped me (even though I feel inadequate), and he is sending me out to go sow and harvest another field.
I will be crushed and pressed.
And that scares me.
There will be trials and ways the Lord stretches my faith that will be hard, make me uncomfortable, but most importantly, make me learn to trust him in ways I didn’t know existed.
And that makes me excited.
Paul says, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Cor. 4:8-10).
While I don’t anticipate the same trials and persecutions of Paul, I believe the promises of God found in these verses. That know matter the hardship, they are good, necessary, and pale in comparison to the glory to come.
It is for the sake of the Gospel that we are crushed and pressed, and for that, I say “come on.”
For he is “with me always,” and in that, I have true and sufficient comfort.
At the end of this, I will be a new wine – an offering to God that the girl writing this today won’t even recognize.
So this song is my prayer:
In the crushing, in the pressing, you are making new wine. In the soil, I now surrender. You are breaking New ground;
So I yield to You and to Your careful hand. When I trust You I don’t need to understand;
So make me Your vessel Make me an offering. Make me whatever You want me to be. I came here with nothing, but all You have given me. Jesus, bring new wine out of me. Jesus, bring new wine out of me Jesus, bring new wine out of me;
‘Cause where there is new wine, there is new power. There is new freedom and the kingdom is here. I lay down my old flames to carry Your new fire today.
Thank you everyone for your love and support. I can’t wait to go through this journey with you all!
Kathryn
