ADVENT DEVOTIONAL | Day 15 | Gentle and Just

READ
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
Isaiah 42:1-4

REFLECT
Each year our family hangs ornaments on the Christmas tree together. We put on a Christmas movie and relive the stories that each ornament tells. There are many ornaments that our kids are allowed to hang. And there are some ornaments that only mom and dad are allowed to hang. These ornaments are more fragile than the others and need to be handled and hung with care. However, even with these precautions, it’s still fairly common for us to have one broken ornament each Christmas.

This passage speaks about fragile things. A bruised reed will be crushed at the slightest touch. A smoldering wick will be extinguished by a gentle breeze. And yet, the promise of this passage is that the servant of the Lord is gentle enough to handle such fragile things. He is gracious and compassionate and He knows how to minister to the fragile.
And yet this gentle, humble servant is also a king who will establish justice on the earth. He is a ruler who will make all things right. This is the complexity and beauty of the Promised One. One who is strong enough to right every wrong and yet kind enough to deal delicately with those who are hurting. And it is the beautiful complexity that makes Him the only one who can save.

So let’s trust in this one who is gentle and lowly in heart. Let’s cast our burdens on Him because He alone is strong enough to bear them. Let’s come to Him and find rest for our souls (Matt. 11:28-30).

RESPOND
Where do you feel most fragile right now—emotionally, spiritually, or relationally—and how does Isaiah’s picture of Jesus as one who does not break a bruised reed invite you to bring that weakness honestly to Him?

How does knowing that Jesus is both gentle with the hurting and strong enough to establish justice shape the way you trust Him with your burdens and rest in His care this Advent?