Pastor's Corner

for Sunday Feb 20th
Little foxes.
“Quick! Catch all the little foxes before they ruin the vineyard of your love, for the grapevines are all in blossom.” (Song of Sol. 2:15) Foxes in Palestine were very destructive in the vineyards; they would eat the roots and the young fruit. And so those working the vineyards were constantly on the lookout for foxes that would damage the crop. The metaphor here is that the vineyard is a relationship and the “little foxes” are those things that are destructive to that relationship. So we must be constantly alert for the “foxes” that tear away at our relationships. In a marriage it could be the fox of selfishness and pride which refuses to acknowledge that we have done something wrong. Or it may be an unforgiving spirit which will not accept the apology of the other. However, I want us to apply this to our relationship with God because that relationship has “foxes” too, “little foxes” that are robbing you of joy and peace; “little foxes” that are robbing you of a closer walk with God. What “little foxes” are tearing away at your relationship with God? Is it worry? Is it discontent? Are you angry with God because of some situation in your life? These are valid emotions but if unchecked they become “little foxes” that rob your life of joy and peace and intimacy with God. Maybe the “little foxes” are “little sins”; things that we think are small and unimportant but little sins grow into big sins. So catch all the little foxes before they ruin the vineyard of your love.
Pastor Don.