Mixtures of ‘Smoke and Light’
DEVOTION • “A smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory” (Matthew 12:20).
Read time: 3 min
The following excerpt is from The Bruised Reed, written by the puritan Richard Sibbes.[1] It’s worth our prayerful consideration. Retrieve your free Kindle copy here (still free as of February 10, 2024).
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“A Christian is said to be smoking flax. So we see that grace does not do away with corruption all at once, but some is left for believers to fight with. The purest actions of the purest men need Christ to perfume them; and this is his office. When we pray, we need to pray again for Christ to pardon the defects of our prayers. Consider some instances of this smoking flax:
When David was before the king of Gath (1 Samuel 21:13) and disfigured himself in an uncomely manner, in that smoke there was some fire also. You may see what an excellent psalm he makes upon that occasion, Psalm 34, in which, on the basis of experience, he says, `The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart' (Psalm 34:18). `I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes.' There is smoke. `Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications' (Psalm 31:22). There is fire.
Jonah cries, `I am cast out of thy sight.' There is smoke. `Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.' There is light (Jonah 2:4).
‘Lord, save us: we perish’ (Matthew 8:25), cry the disciples. Here is smoke of infidelity, yet so much light of faith as stirred them up to pray to Christ. `Lord, I believe.' There is light. ‘Help thou mine unbelief.' There is smoke (Mark 9:24).
The reason for this mixture is that we carry about us a double principle, grace and nature. The end of it is especially to preserve us from those two dangerous rocks which our natures are prone to dash upon, security and pride, and to force us to pitch our rest on justification, not sanctification, which, besides imperfection, has some stains.”
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Heavenly Father, help me to embrace the grace you provide amidst my imperfections, trusting in your Son to complete the good work he began. Amen. ❖
Reference
Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2010), 19–21. Kindle Edition.
