DCLM Daily Manna 24 January 2022 — The Pain of Unrequited Love
DCLM Daily Manna 24 January 2022 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The Pain of Unrequited Love
TOPIC: THE PAIN OF UNREQUITED LOVE
TEXT: Isaiah 5:1-7
1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
KEY VERSE:
“What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?” – (Isaiah 5:4)
MESSAGE:
An author, Iva-Marie Palmer, acknowledged the reality of unrequited love when she wrote, “Love may have the longest arms, but it can still fall short of an embrace.” Yes, your outstretched arms of love are sometimes greeted with indifference, ingratitude or even hostility. Such negative treatment often inflicts pain in the heart of the love-giver.
Also Read: DCLM Daily Manna 23 January 2022 — Between Christ and Swine
If you have ever been a recipient of such cold treatment, you will be in a position to appreciate, to some extent, how God felt in His dealings with the backslidden Israelites. God regarded Israel as His vineyard. He pampered them with loving-kindness and favour. They were separated from other nations for His glory and as an object of His peculiar care. God granted them all the means of fruitfulness and yet they yielded wild grapes of corruption. He, in turn, declared that He would bring desolation and judgment upon them.
Also Read: Sermon — God’s Call And Convenant With Abraham
Today, it is not just Israel. We are all recipients of God’s favour and providence. This is specially so for the Church. The Lord has been gracious to His church for which there are adequate provision, protection, preservation and power. The Church is God’s cherished vineyard. He has planted it with the choicest vine, built a tower in its midst and made a winepress therein. There is therefore a justified expectation of pleasant fruitfulness from her.
All believers who have benefited from the riches of the gospel are expected to bear fruits of righteousness that glorify God. This is the, most important way to please Him and requite His love.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
A two-way love produces the best traffic.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 22-23
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
