Broken Reeds

Has anyone you trusted let you down?  God allows circumstances in our lives to teach us that He is the only one worthy of worship and absolute confidence.  Even after we make a decision to follow Christ, we can lean on our own understanding rather than trusting in God.  It is good when God forces us to let go of our false supports and learn only to rely upon Him.  What is a primary way God makes a man decide to let go?  Pain.  When we pick up something hot, the message of searing pain tells us to drop it quick!

There is an instance in scripture when King Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Assyria.  He sent a messenger named Rabshakeh to intimidate the people of Samaria to surrender.  Though he was a false accuser, a blasphemer, and did not fear the true God of heaven and earth, Rabshakeh held forth some valuable insights in 2 Kings 18:20-21:  "You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? ²¹ Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him."  Rabshakeh accused Hezekiah and his people of looking to Egypt to save them, which was not true in this instance.  But the analogy of the staff piercing the hand is a good one to consider.

A staff is a walking stick, a sturdy piece of wood selected to carry in the hand to provide stability and help when traversing difficult country.  People commonly carried a staff during travel to support themselves.  We may not carry a staff as we walk through the city, but there are things we rely upon just the same.  We trust in our mobile phones and apps that will help us to safely navigate the city or to call for aid.  You may look to your job or financial situation to provide security.  We rely upon our health and mental well being.  There might be people in your life like parents, your spouse, children, a mentor, or pastor you trust or rely upon for direction and help in time of need.  But compared to God, all of these supports are false.  They are all like a staff that pierces your hand and causes painful injury.  The trouble is, once we have had our hand stabbed through we are increasingly reluctant to extend that hand to others.  Even when God reaches out to help us in love, we withdraw our hand because we've been hurt before.  This is ironic because only God has the power to heal our soul, mind, and body.

The hands God extends to you have been pierced:  the nail-pierced hand of Jesus Christ.  Jesus only trusted the Father and performed His will, yet the sins of the world - your sin and mine - were placed upon Him on the cross.  Jesus knows our pain and He only did what was right.  The pain which we experience in this life God allows so we might toss aside all false supports and trust in Him entirely.    The Bible tells us those who seek to be rich pierce themselves through with many sorrows.  You may have been burned by people.  The betrayal has cut you deep.  When the depth of our pain is unbearable and the temptation is strong to withdrawal from fellowship with God or others, consider that the intensity of the pain often correlates to the weight you place on that broken reed which could not save.  When we lean lightly on broken reeds, the damage is minimal.  When all our weight is pressed upon false supports, far greater damage is inflicted.

Christ reaches out to save us with His scarred hands.  May we extend our wounded hands to grasp His, for salvation and healing is found in Him alone.