Corona Devo 1814

I'm not a wine drinker, but I've been thinking about the wine-making process today.  Grapes are pressed and smooshed to release as much juice (without breaking the seeds, which causes a bitterness to the flavor or juice/wine).  Because grapes need pressed but not destroyed, the idea of stomping the grapes was developed.  People walking (and stomping) on grapes has been practiced since ancient times as one of the best methods of extracting juices because human pressure is gentle enough not to break to the grape seeds but to grind the grapes enough to release the highest amount of juices.

The idea and term of grape stomping is termed "pigeage" in French , which means "punching down".  This is an appropriate term for describing the process, because that's exactly what must happen to a grape for new wine to be made: it must be punched down.  Pummelled.  Smooshed.  Ground.  Trampled.  Hit and continually pressed...in order for the fullest amount of juice to be released, so that a fine wine can be made.

Why are we talking about grapes?  

Because today I am a grape.  Maybe you are too.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; (9) persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  ~2 Corinthians 4:8-9

How or why I got at the bottom of this treading-press, I don't know: but what I do know is that I keep getting stepped on.  Stomped on.  Ground deep into the muck with the pressure that's being applied and it won't let up.  

Are you in the wine-press with me today?  

Flattened.  Depleted.  Pressed with continual pressure.  Smeared  and pummelled and about ready to give up. 

Why the pressure?  When will it ease?  And how much (more) can we take?

I'm asking all of these things.  I'm feeling the pressure and crushing in very real time. Smooshed.  Flattened.  I want to cry.

And then: God reminds me of grapes.  Fragile little orbs of sweet flesh and juice.  And when pressed and tread upon...they produce something beautiful.  

Could God be doing something beautiful in us and our lives today, through our struggle and strife?

Could something come of this, that we are going through?  This exasperation, this exhaustion, this nearness-to-giving-up?  

In a word: Don't.

Don't give up.  

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  ~Galatians 6:9

God is here with us.  

And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”  ~Matthew 28:20

Whether we drink wine or not, we all have days when we are the grape.  Days when we are pressed and smooshed by people and predicaments.  Situations that "punch down" our moods and flatten our emotions until there is not much left in us.  (Are we here today?)

But hold fast, my fellow flattened grape guys and gals.  

Be strong today.  Stand your ground today.  And after you have done everything...stand today.

~~~

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (11) Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (14) Stand firm then...  ~Ephesians 6:10-14

We might be being trampled today: by the world, by our worries, by mean people or simply by our schedule.  

And, we don't have to speak French to experience the "pigeage" of being "punched down" and stomped upon. This happens to all of us at one time or another: no matter what language we speak.

But take heart, Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  We can have hope even when we are crumpled in a heap.  We serve an Almighty God and He is not only with us when we are pressed, but He is also always at work.

Grapes, when crushed produce fine wine. Who knows what God is up to in our lives if we are being crushed like a grape today.

The Christian music group, Hillsong, has a song called “New Wine” (words and music by Brooke Ligertwood), and the lyrics might seep into our (smooshed) souls today.  

VERSE 1:
In the crushing
In the pressing
You are making new wine
In the soil I now surrender
You are breaking new ground
PRE-CHORUS:
So I yield to You and to Your careful hand
When I trust You I don’t need to understand
CHORUS:
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

 ~~~

Are you in the wine-press with me today?  

Be strong.  Stand your ground.  And after you have done everything...stand.

~~~

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (8) We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; (9) persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  ~2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Blessings,

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