A Bruised Reed and a Smoldering Wick – Part 1

Recently I heard a teaching by Colin Smith on Isaiah 42:3 – “He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not put out a smoldering wick; He will faithfully bring justice.” CSB. The ESV describes the smoldering wick as “faintly burning wick”. The NASB95 says “a dimly burning wick”. The KJV and NKJV says, “the smoking flax” and the NLT says, “a flickering candle”. The picture conveyed here is a poorly functioning lamp or candle, smoky and ineffective. The words “bruised reed” is used in all the above versions of Isaiah except NLT and says, “the weakest reed”. This a picture of one who is unable to stand straight or one who is not whole, is broken. The Messianic prophecy in this Isaiah passage was fulfilled in Matthew 12:17-21 as He healed the broken and downtrodden. 

How does God feel about our weakness, our brokenness and woundedness? Psalm 51:17 says that the sacrifice of a broken spirit is pleasing to Him. He does not despise a broken and humble heart. Why would God be pleased with woundedness? Consider the grafting process in nature. A stem from one plant is cut (wounded) and the root of another plant is cut (wounded). The stem is then bound to the root, wound to wound. What happens next is extraordinary. The life of the root then goes into the stem. The result is the stem bears the fruit of the root. Our fruitfulness in the life of faith begins with woundedness of our soul, the realization of our need for a Savior. Repentance is the grafting process. Without repentance, a person binds their “uncut”, “unbruised” stem to a Root that is unable to transfer new life into it. Result? No fruit. Our broken hearts are the wounds God pours life into. He does not despise our brokenness. He holds us in our weakness, and He controls everything and everyone that comes against us. Paul knew this intimately, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 contains the revelation of God’s grace and control in his life. There are so many references in scripture of Jesus’ submission to weakness and brokenness. 2 Corinthians 13:4 says that though He was crucified in weakness, He lives now by the power of God. The promise of truth is we who are weak in Him shall live with Him by the power of God. This immutable truth absolutely frustrates Satan to no end. As he whispers to us that our wounds are too deep, our weaknesses are too severe, we can boast is those wounds, weaknesses, brokenness. They are the vehicles God is using to pour His life into us. That is reason to glorify God. 

Application? If God doesn’t despise your brokenness, don’t you despise it. Instead, repent and submit yourself to the Root. Bind yourself to the Root. Receive the life that flows freely from Him. He was wounded for your transgressions and bruised for your iniquities. From the smallest bruise to the largest wound, He can transform all of it into His fruit. 

Next week, we’ll look at the smoldering wick…