A Bruised Reed...

"...He does not break." Isaiah 42:3

As I was talking with a couple of ladies in my new apartment complex, the picture of Jesus bending low to touch the bruised reed and restore it to its slender, delicate beauty, came to mind.

Here we were, three ladies, “mature” by anyone's estimate, well advanced on life's journey. I was sharing with them an area of growth for me that requires me to be much more sensitive to the those around me, when I would be inclined to “pop off” with my own opinion or comment, which the Lord is showing me is sometimes hurtful.

I shared with them, since we are just getting to know each other, that I grew up in a household with a very hurting mother who, because of the deep wounds in her own life, often used her tongue to shred people into little pieces. I always promised myself I would never treat anyone that way myself. The only problem is, we learn the behavior we grow up in without even trying. Have you ever repeated a behavior that you swore you never would when you were growing up?! Of late, I find the Lord shining His light on this little corner of my life, showing me, that, in spite of my best intentions, I move into my mother's voice when I am frustrated or angry, or just impatient with whatever is happening around me. This is a new awareness for me and one that I am very grateful to begin to see and understand so that I, with the Lord's help, can choose differently. He is inviting me to be healed in this area and choose the voice of love and kindness that is His gift to me.

As I shared this with my new friends, I was amazed to see tears rise up in their eyes as each of them told me of the abusive treatment, particularly verbal, that each of them had endured as children. Both of these dear ladies broke down in tears, as they told me their stories, remembering the pain of the abuse as if it had happened yesterday instead of 50 years ago or more. The book that I read last month on the power of words to destroy and wound came back to me full force as I saw the evidence of that truth right before my eyes.

We had gathered together for prayer and, as I sat watching and listening to these wounded ladies tell me of their pain, I realized the Lord was sitting at the table with us and this was a moment of healing for all of us. Here He was, ministering to the pain of these women, carried in their hearts for a lifetime, wanting to set them free. I am amazed and humbled by the power and gentleness of Our God to see us in our brokenness and reach down to touch the wound and heal us, no matter how long it takes. He hasn't forgotten the wounding, even though it happened fifty, sixty, seventy... years ago. His heart is always to bring us into healing...

The beautiful scripture in Isaiah, where God describes Himself as One who “will not break a bruised reed, nor quench a smoldering candle” came to my mind immediately. As we sat together, sharing the wounds of childhood, laying them before each other and before the Lord, I realized, we are all “bruised reeds”. We bear the bruises of a lifetime in our frail and broken spirit. But God is watching. He sees the wound. He hears the cry. He collects our tears in a bottle. He hasn't forgotten us. He asks us to trust Him to touch the bruises we have covered over and hidden and let Him heal us into wholeness. These are the wounds that we don't really want anyone to see. We are afraid they have been there so long, nobody could heal them. We often don't even want to admit they are there...

But we do not serve a God who forgets who we are or where we need His healing touch. He will pursue us relentlessly to bring our wounds into healing. How amazing. The same God that will not break a bruised reed, speaks to the storm and it obeys; frees a lunatic in the wilderness from a multitude of demons and sends them rushing into the sea. He has a power that we cannot fathom. He is the One who loves us enough to touch us in the deepest of our wounds, to bring us to the healing we so desperately need. May God, the Gentle Healer, touch you today, wherever you are wounded, and set you free...

Prayer -

Lord, God, we lay our wounds before You today. We so much need Your healing touch. Please come into the wounds we have hidden away from fear that no one knows and no one cares. Thank You, Father, that You know us in the depth of our need. Thank You that You do not look away or forget where we are wounded. Thank You that You will never give up pursuing us to set us free. Thank You for your gentleness. Redeem our wounds today, Lord Jesus. Thank You, Lord, God, that You love us more than we love ourselves...

For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, Amen