The Sheer Sweetness of Stomped Grapes: Why I Marvel at God's Chosen Wrath
Okay, so, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about wine. Not just, you know, *enjoying* wine, but the whole process, from grape to glass. And it’s led me down this rabbit hole of just how awesome God’s artistry is, even in the parts that seem... well, a little messy. I was reading in Isaiah the other day, chapter 63, and man, it just hit me different. Specifically, verses 2-3: “Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? ‘I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.’”
Whoa. Talk about a visual! It’s powerful, right? God, as the vintner, stomping those grapes – not to get delicious wine necessarily, but representing judgment and wrath. It sounds harsh, I know, but when I really dig into it, there’s a sweetness to it, a surety that just makes me feel safe. It’s like, okay, God’s got this. He's not passive or apathetic. He’s active and righteous, and He’ll deal with what's not right, even if it looks messy and frankly, kinda violent.
I remember this one time I was helping my grandpa in his garden. He has this huge old grapevine, and we were harvesting the grapes. You know, the process is surprisingly… physical. Stomping them, getting that juice flowing – it wasn't dainty, that's for sure! It made me think about how much labor goes into something that we often just enjoy. It felt meaningful, connected to something ancient, even. And, yeah, it got a little messy with grape juice everywhere. But that’s the thing, right? Great things often come out of a little chaos, a little hard work, and yeah, even a little mess. And thinking of that grape juice as representing wrath... it sounds terrible but also makes me feel like God knows just what He is doing.
And this applies to our lives, too. Life throws us messes. Things don't always go smoothly, people mess up, and sometimes, well, sometimes it feels like we are getting stomped on! I had a really rough patch last year at work – it felt like I was getting squeezed from every angle. Deadlines piling up, difficult clients, you name it. And honestly, at the time I felt abandoned by God. I was just asking, “Why, why me? Why this?” But you know what? Looking back, that’s the process, I think. That's like being the grapes in the press. It was painful and it was messy and it was *hard*, but it produced something. It shaped me. It made me stronger. I realized I could handle so much more than I ever thought I could. And that, that sweetness – the sweetness of growth and strength – it came from what felt like a total mess. It felt like the wrath of God was upon me, but actually He was just pressing me into a better version of myself.
It’s not about reveling in suffering, not at all. It’s about recognizing that God's processes, even the ones that are hard to understand, are purposeful. Romans 8:28 tells us that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” All things! Even the tough times, even the grape stomping, so to speak. It's like He is taking all the not-so-good things and using them, shaping them into something amazing.
So, when you’re feeling squeezed, when life feels like a giant winepress, try to remember that there's a purpose to the pressing. And there’s sweetness to be found, even in the mess. There's a comfort knowing God is active, that He isn’t just sitting back and watching chaos unfold. He is in it, like the vintner, shaping us, making us into what He needs us to be. It's a powerful picture for me and really resonates with my life.
How have you experienced the sweetness of God’s work in even the messiest of situations? I’d love to hear your thoughts.