Isaiah 27:1-5: a reflection

1In that day, the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan, the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea. 2In that day, sing to her, “A pleasant vineyard! 3I, the LORD, am its keeper. I will water it every moment. Lest anyone damage it, I will keep it night and day. 4Wrath is not in me, but if I should find briers and thorns, I would do battle! I would march on them and I would burn them together. 5Or else let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me. Let him make peace with me.”

In the midst of Isaiah's prophecies, God sings over his people as over a beloved vineyard: A pleasant vineyard! I, the LORD, am its keeper. I will water it every moment; lest anyone harm it, I will keep it night and day. God pictures himself not as a distant owner, but as the attentive keeper of his vineyard, watering it continually, guarding it constantly, watching over it without pause, day and night.

Notice the constancy of God's care in these words: I will water it every moment; I will keep it night and day. This is not occasional or distracted attention, but ceaseless, watchful care, God tending his vineyard at every moment, guarding it around the clock, never leaving it untended or unwatched. The vineyard is never for a moment out of the keeper's care; God's attention to his people does not lapse.

That is a comforting picture of God's care for those who are his. We can imagine God as sometimes attentive and sometimes not, watching over us in some moments and forgetting us in others. But God is the keeper who waters his vineyard every moment and guards it night and day; his care for his people is constant, ceaseless, never lapsing. You are never for a moment outside his watchful keeping. When you feel unwatched or untended, forgotten or unguarded, remember that God is the keeper of his vineyard, who waters it every moment and keeps it night and day. His care does not sleep or lapse; he tends and guards his own continually. Rest in the constant, watchful care of the God who keeps his vineyard night and day, and take hold of his strength, making your peace with him.

Lord, you sing over your people as over a beloved vineyard: I, the LORD, am its keeper; I will water it every moment; lest anyone harm it, I will keep it night and day. Comfort me with the constancy of that care. I can imagine you as sometimes attentive and sometimes not, watching over me in some moments and forgetting me in others. But you are the keeper who waters his vineyard every moment and guards it night and day; your care for your people is constant, ceaseless, never lapsing. I am never for a moment outside your watchful keeping. When I feel unwatched or untended, forgotten or unguarded, remind me that you are the keeper of your vineyard, who waters it every moment and keeps it night and day. Your care does not sleep or lapse; you tend and guard your own continually. Help me rest in your constant, watchful care, and take hold of your strength, making my peace with you. Thank you that you keep me night and day.