Message: “Bruised Reeds” from Michael Daling

Isaiah explains that the bruised reed…the damaged and split piece of grass…which could fall apart at the moment it is touched—he will not break. The faintly burning wick of a candle which, if you walk by it would go out entirely, he will not quench. That is how the servant handles and receives the poor, broken, shame-filled sinner. He sees you. For some of us, because you feel ready to fall apart…even the thought of getting close to anyone else might be painful and so filled with fear. He sees you. You cry out “Jesus don’t touch me! I am going to fall apart.” And when he does step toward us and touch us sometimes it hurts so much that we think we are going to shatter where we stand. We cry out…STOP STOP…sure that we will be broken and extinguished if we are moved. But then he opens our eyes and we find that in his hands we cannot be broken. The touch of the servant—the one sent by the God who is a consuming fire—is so gentle that you cannot be extinguished in his hand.

Scripture References: Isaiah 42:1-9, Matthew 12:9-22

Related Topics: Isaiah, Jesus, Matthew | More Messages from Michael Daling | Download Audio

From Series: "Jesus Is Everything"

What does it look and sound like when Jesus receives sinners? How do we learn to be with Jesus? God desires to make a people for Himself who are captivated by Jesus. He IS the gift of God, he IS our life, he IS everything for us and to us.