079. "A Bruised Reed"

"A Bruised Reed"

(Isaiah 42:3) "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench." The shepherd spends much time alone with his sheep in desert solitudes; and his reed pipe, a frail little instrument of two reeds bound together, hollowed out and with holes on the side, helps to pass the hours cheerfully. He learns to play many little tunes on it. It is very easily broken and if it falls and is crushed by a careless foot, its music is stilled. It is of almost no value, a new one could easily be made and the bruised pipe left by the wayside to rot. But the shepherd appears to have a sentimental feeling about it; he will not let it go, not at all. He picks up the crushed reed, and so tenderly repairs it, binding up its broken parts, until once more he draws from it the music he dearly loves. "A bruised reed shall he not break."

What a picture of the sinner, bruised and broken by sin, of no apparent value, lying by the wayside; and then God’s love and concern and His desire to restore the broken life.

"The smoking flax shall he not quench." Here in this Scripture we see a little clay lamp, with its wick floating in an hour’s supply of olive oil. The oil has burned out, the wick smokes. We would probably say, "Throw it out, get a fresh wick; this one smokes and it is of no value." But the owner does not agree to that, "The old will do, all that is needed is oil, then the wick will burn as brightly as ever." That is just what God does, with His grace - restores when the light is almost out.

"The smoking flax will he not quench."