Monday, June 14, 2010

Bruised reed and smoldering flax

We had an especially good service yesterday at church. We had a visiting family from Mississippi, (try finger spelling that for the deaf... it was comical) who sang and gave testimony of how each song was written.
I would have to say that my favorite part was when the husband shared about the reed and the flax. First, I guess, would be to explain what a reed and a flax is.
Reed: the straight stalk of any of various tall grasses

Flax:

"A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench".
I love how Mr. Miller explained that God is a God of restoration. He does not take the bruised reed; which represents us with all of our brokenness and being of not much worth, to destroy us. He takes us, mends us, uses us, makes us whole again through His forgiveness and love.
As for the smoldering flax. Sometimes, I can be compared to it. I don't have much oumpf in my life for the Lord. I sometimes get side tracked, distracted and while He's still walking, if you can picture it, I'm like a child who stops along the way to look at what is drawing my attention. God doesn't just leave me this way. He draws close to me with a large dose of compassion and lights the wick of my fire. Lights the way to my journey and sets me back on the right path.
God is so forgiving and loving. I wish I wouldn't get so distracted by the thing in this world. Sometimes my flesh gets drawn to things that I think I need but really I just want. God knows what's best for me, to keep my life from destruction and I need to trust Him.
16 years ago, by faith, through Jesus Christ, God the Father took me and made me His child. He comforted me, made me whole again, forgave me of the sinful life I was leading and put me on a path that I could of never dreamt of. He has been better to me than I could ever be. Why I get distracted? It's beyond me, but if I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive me.
What an awesome, gentle, loving and compassionate God we have. The Creator of the universe, the Giver of many blessings.
I once was a bruised reed and am sometime a smoldering flax but God has made me new and has given me a passion for life and for people. What an awesome God!

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