Isaiah 42:3; Original photo by ontzy
There is just amazing imagery in the verse, Isaiah 42:3.
The full scripture for this goes,” 3 A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
(Isaiah 42:3, New King James Version)”
In “Pressing Into Thin Places” by Margaret Harrell Wells, EdD, she shared this scripture in the book, and as I really contemplated on that particularly verse….it presented to me of this wick that was determined,no matter what, to be blown out.
Isn’t that a perfect way to capture our faith in our Heavenly Father….that no matter what, no matter how hard life presses on us, no matter how hard the storm blows outside our home, that we hold on strong to our faith and trust in our Father in Heaven as He holds and shields us from the storm and that which presses upon us?
There are days when we may find ourselves pressed in, but think of the wick on a candle, and you’ve seen them, that no matter how hard you blow on it, the wick is determined to hold on to its flame and even though it may seem to slowly die away, there still is a subtle glow that maybe with the right encouragement, will burst into a mighty flame again.
Looking more into this verse, I came across a sermon by a Pastor John Turner, that looked into Isaiah 42:3 and shared some interesting points about this particular verse.
His sermon shared that,
1.The word “bruised” was translated to mean: “oppressed,” “crushed,” “discouraged,” and “struggling.” and was the same as mention and meaning as in II Kings 18:21,and
2.The word “reed” ” also refer to any kind of pillar of support, such as a rod or cane, or a lamp stand in particular. In the context of this passage, it would seem to refer specifically to a lamp stand.“
But this isn’t what was just as interesting as what the Pastor later shared in the sermon,
“Here is a picture of the soul whom God has called to serve Him and to give forth a light in the darkness. Standing tall at first, filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit and the fire of God, that soul radiates the light of Christ for all to see. Yet, calamity strikes and that soul is now found lying on the ground, bruised, broken, crushed, discouraged. The barely discernable light remaining within struggles with dullness, dimness and heaviness; issuing forth nothing more than pestilent vapors. With its light diminished, it is barely seen and is shunted aside with no practical purpose or usefulness. No one wants a light that doesn’t light. Already crushed and battered, that seemingly fruitless soul becomes an obstacle that serves only to trip up passersby. Though that soul tries to get out of the path and hide in some darkened, out-of-the-way alley, there seems to be no refuge from the scornful glances and vicious kicks of those who see it. Men pass it by in their daily business, shaking their heads and clucking their tongues at the baneful shambles of this dusky, dim soul which was once a plentiful source of light. Too bad. Someone should gather up this unsightly heap and dispose of it before someone stumbles upon it and is injured.”reference: A Bruised Reed and a Smoking Flax
,http://www.seewaves.com
What an image does that bring?
That the broken…..the lost…the hurt….the…..disciples that followed Christ weren’t perfect, had white picket, picture perfect pasts, but were often the worse of society,that in and through our Father, followed and was used by Him and served Him as His disciples.
No one is below….No one was beyond…Anyone….has hope in and through Jesus Christ.
Come join me and everyone else for “Word Filled Wednesday“;
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Twitter: SandwichINK
says:
Oh wow! Talk about an encouraging Scripture – and one I can really use to share with a sweet friend this week. Thank you for this lovely Word-Filled Wednesday!
Kaye Swain recently posted..Teaching the Ten Commandments for Kids and Grandchildren and Need a Song Here’s Two!
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Kaye Swain,
I so appreciate you taking the time to drop by Sunflower Faith; Prayers that the verse can lift up, strengthen and encourage your dear friend!
Sunflower Faith(Quote) (Reply)
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Thank you for this lovely post. It definitely is what I needed to read this morning. It reminded me of a song that the kids used to sing in Sunday School, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” My “little light” feels rather dim at this moment…..
A.Marie recently posted..AWESOME FATHERS DAY GIFT FROM KGB DEALS FREE SHIPPING!
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A.Marie,
Oh wow…sounds like a wonderful song to teach the kids! Have to go find it.
Sunflower Faith(Quote) (Reply)
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The imagery in that verse has provided encouragement to me on more than one occasion! Praise the Lord that He never leaves us in the depths of discouragement for long!
Laura recently posted..John 1-12- 13 – some thoughts
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Laura,
Isn’t that just amazing imagery; No matter what version it is read in, it just leaves this powerful reminder of our Father. I couldn’t get it out of my mind after reading it used in a book I had review and this is something that is well worth memorizing as a source of strength and encouragement.
Thank you so much for your sweet comment and dropping by!
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Twitter: alidasturn
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What a stunning graphic…I love this!
Alida recently posted..Thought for Today
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Always a great blog post, Sunflower! Thank you for what you share with us! blessings, joie
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