Day Forty-Two: New Wine

The NEW WINE flows with unending Love!

    I have had the most difficult time trying to write about the subject of NEW WINE. NEW WINE: The precious gift that Christ left us in his HOLY SPIRIT. A Holy Spirit that would fill us with more love and joy and peace than we can contain. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,   gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Gal 5:22-23)." With this fruit there is nothing lacking! Drink your fill and be satisfied.
     I could tell a hundred stories of the Holy Spirit intervening in my life so why is it so difficult to write a post about NEW WINE. Because to write about NEW WINE brings up thoughts and feelings about OLD WINE. Writing about OLD WINE is where I get really stuck. Not only is it painful to think about, to recall the memories but also to admit to them. Not only admitting that I had pain in my life that I tried to hide from in the old wine but the consequences of those choices each time were awful. 

     Old Wine-- the days when I thought alcohol was enhancing my life. It didn't take me three decades to realize that getting drunk was not enhancing my life. I thankfully learned early in life that drinking alcohol in excess lead to unhappy consequences. I got drunk to feel better about myself, my life, to hide from the pain and feel braver than I actually felt. Instead of enhancing my life, I lost my self-control; made stupid decisions; and got taken advantage of. Sometimes I look back and think of how lucky I was to have gotten out of some of those situations alive.

     Even when I wasn't getting drunk. Just "drinking responsibly," I can now look back and see how alcohol had negative effects. When I thought drinking wine was a great way of connecting socially, I can see how my few glasses of wine encouraged others to use alcohol in a negative way. Either by contributing to a person's alcoholism or fueling their own drunkenness to a point that was wrecking their relationships with others. What I don't understand is why it took me this long in my life to see how the casual drink affected those around me.     

     I don't drink alcohol because my 13 year old took a challenge to not let alcohol ever touch his lips. He asked me to join him and I could not refuse. It would be easy I thought because I barely drink a few glasses of wine a year. However, when you quit something that something is often illuminated in your life. I am now very in tune to discussions of alcohol in work and social settings. There is a lot of social bonding around alcohol-- like going out for a drink with co-workers or a family having a toast to an acheivement or milestone. "You can not toast with an empty glass," my grandfather always told us. But boldly stating, "I don't drink alcohol," has let me clearly examine the alcohol use in my life and what it really did without defending the part I played in it.

     "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,  making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery."
      Is abstaining from alcohol for everyone? I do not think that everyone is being called to give up drinking alcohol. But I do believe it is for the poor in spirit as God's word says, "Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish;  let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more." Eventually, every growing Christian will confront the question. It conflicted my heart for several years as God tugged on my heart to step out boldly from the traditions of this world. I took the opportunity of my son's challenge to finally settle the debate and my eyes have been opened through the experience. For when we are coming alive in Christ, we no longer want to dull our senses with anything that might hinder our search for the Truth.

     The things we are searching for when we drink alcohol are not found at the bottom of  the bottle. The love, the peace, the joy we are searching for is only found in the NEW WINE that Christ left us when he gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit. "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:25-27)"
                                                              ~~~

     "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,  speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,  always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)"

STUDY GUIDE

Follow along in JOHN: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore pages 199-202
Read John 2:6-11
 Answer the questions in your study guide.
 Share a brief highlight or two from your thoughts and answers in a comment posted to the group. (Read guidelines and cautions posted August 1, 2010 before you post).
 Read the comments of others and share your thoughts and encouragement with them by replying to their comments. Identify which post you are responding to by addressing them and their subject or pasting a brief portion of their reply at the start of your post.

PRAY WITH ME:
Lord, fill us with your new wine that overflows with love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Help us to remember to come to you for a drink when we are thirsty and to not follow the patterns of the world that only lead us to more anquish and pain. Instead fill us with your Holy Spirit and let us share with each other Songs from the Spirit and make music from our heart unto the Lord! In the name of Jesus, Amen.