Bruised Reeds............

For those in Christ who are struggling and suffering in this world,Christ will not break a bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flask.Not only will He not break or quench but, He will cherish those He deals with.We who are in Christ, we should learn from this, "to come boldly to the throne of grace" Hebrews 4:16.Consider the physician, Though they at times may put their patients through much pain, they will not destroy nature, but raise it up by degrees. Surgeons will lance and cut, but will not dismember. A Mother who has a sick and self-willed child, will not cast it away. "And shall there be more mercy in the stream then in the spring?"Shall we think there is more mercy in ourselves than in God, who plants the affection of mercy in us?Those who are hurting, consider Christ's mercy. He has taken the relationships of, husband, shepherd, and brother, which He will discharge to the utmost. You are precious to Him. This is His assignment by His Father.Consider the names He has borrowed from the mildest creatures, such as lamb and hen, to show His tender care. Consider His very name "Jesus," a Saviour, given Him by God Himself. Consider His office answerable to His name, which is that He should "bind up the broken hearted" Isaiah 61:1.Go to Christ, although trembling, as the poor woman who said, "if I may touch His garment" Matthew 9:21.Christ will not quench the smoking flax. Because this spark, though it may be small, is from heaven, it is His own, it is kindled by His own Spirit.There is a special blessing in that little spark. "as the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants sakes" Isaiah 65:8.Taken from: Richard Sibbes.