Hope for the Brokenhearted

Isaiah 42:3 gives us a wonderful hope. This verse says, "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." The reed was a plant that was used as a walking stick, musical instrument, fishing pole and pens. The flax was a wick for the lamp. When the wick was ready to go out it would smolder.

When this reed was ready to break it would be mended. God takes the broken reed and repairs it. When the person is smoldering, weak and frail and about to go out the Lord trims the wick and that light will now shine brightly.

There's three passages in Isaiah that speak to the brokenhearted person.

1 Isaiah 50:4 - God speaks a word in season to the weary person.

~ This speaks of the written word. The means God uses to comfort and mend the broken person is the word of God.

2 Isaiah 57:15 – God will dwell with and revive the heart and spirit of the broken person.

~ This speaks of God's presence to dwell with and revive the humble and broken person,

3 Isaiah 61:1 – God binds up the brokenhearted

~ The word bind means to wrap about, heal or bandage. God heals the brokenhearted.

May we allow God to heal us through the word and presence in our lives.