Sweet Comfort For Feeble Saints
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory
— Matthew 12:20 (KJV)
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A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.
— Matthew 12:20 (ESV)
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“Now, I can imagine some woman here this morning who has departed from the paths of virtue; and, while she is standing in the throng up there, or sitting down, she feels as if she had no right to tread these hallowed courts, and stand among God's people. She thinks that God might almost make the chapel break down upon her to destroy her, she is so great a sinner. Never mind, broken reed and smoking flax! Though thou art the scorn of man, and loathsome to thyself, yet Jesus saith to thee, ‘Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.’ There is some man here who hath something in his heart that I know not of—who may have committed crimes in secret, that we will not mention in public; his sins stick like a leech to him, and rob him of all comfort. Here you are young man, shaking and trembling, lest your crime should be divulged before high heaven; you are broken down, bruised like a reed, smoking like flax. Ah! I have a word for thee too. Comfort! comfort! comfort! Despair not; for Jesus saith he will not quench the smoking flax, he will not break the bruised reed.”
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“Who knows but that you who are nothing now, may be of more use than those of us who appear to stand better before God, because we have more gifts and talents? God can make a spark set a world on fire—he can light up a whole nation with the spark of one poor praying soul. You may be useful yet; therefore be of good cheer. Moss groweth upon gravestones; the ivy clingeth to the mouldering pile; the mistletoe groweth on the dead branch; and even so shall grace, and piety, and virtue, and holiness, and goodness, come from smoking flax and bruised reeds.”
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“It says he will not quench—he will not break. But there is more under cover than we see at first sight. When Jesus says he will not break, he means more than that; he means, "I will take that poor bruised reed; I will plant it hard by the rivers of waters, and (miracle of miracles) I will make it grow into a tree whose leaf shall not wither; I will water it every moment; I will watch it; there shall be heavenly fruits upon it; I will keep the birds of prey from it; but the birds of heaven, the sweet songsters of paradise shall make their dwellings in the branches." When he says that he will not break the bruised reed, he means more; he means that he will nourish, that he will help, and strengthen, and support and glorify—that he will execute his commission on it, and make it glorious for ever. And when he says to the backslider that he will not quench him, he means more than that—he means that he will fan him up to a flame. Some of you, I dare say, have gone home from chapel and found that your fire had gone nearly out; I know how you deal with it; you blow gently at the single spark, if there is one, and lest you should blow too hard, you hold your finger before it; and if you were alone and had but one match, or one spark in the tinder, how gently would you blow it. So, backslider, Jesus Christ deals with thee; he does not put thee out; he blows gently; he says, ‘I will not quench thee;’ he means, ‘I will be very tender, very cautious, very careful;’ he will put on dry material, so that by-and-by a little spark shall come to a flame, and blaze up towards heaven, and great shall be the fire thereof.”
– The New Park Street Pulpit: Vol I No. 6 - “Sweet Comfort For Feeble Saints” (pg. 44, 45)
O, Jesus. You are so very tender toward us. You graciously mend our broken spirit. You take what we consider to be worthless, despicable, shameful; and you make us lovely.
Our minds, our hearts, they cannot comprehend something so…so marvelous. So, outrageous, so bewildering. Our timid soul, Lord, it has such a terrible time comprehending such lavish Love.
And yet, it is true. Not only do you restore us to full health, but you reshape us into something new. Something better than we could have ever imagined. Aye, something we still cannot fathom.
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For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
– 1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)
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Some Day, Father. Some Day, we’ll know fully, yes? We’ll be able to finally see more clearly. O, beloved! We’re already in awe, now, are we not? All of His glorious care, might, gentleness, mercy, and love?!
O, soul (said soberly). When He reveals Himself in full glory; when we can see all that He has done for us, for His beloved people, for this world and all of creation; when we can fully grasp the deep, sacrificial, perfect love in all of its splendor – Then, we will tremble. We will fall down before Him in reverence, admiration, wonderment. We will see with these very eyes. We will hear perfectly, with these very ears - as worn out as they may be. And our faith will take shape. What is now obscure, vague, unknown; will Then be made manifest, visible, real.
So, now, take courage weak creature. Trust in your God. He will not extirpate you. All thanks be to Jesus Christ, our Hope! We have an advocate! We have life!
Go in peace, beloved.