Have you ever found yourself wondering how God sees you after you’ve failed? Do you think His heart has grown cold towards you, especially in your mess? Today, we’re diving into a profound truth about God’s unwavering love, even in our darkest moments.
We will be reading from Gentle and Lowly, a remarkable book by Dane Ortlund. This book explores the heart of Jesus and reminds us of the depth of His compassion and tenderness towards us, even when we fall short.
Dane Ortlund, a pastor and theologian, captures the heart of Christ in a way that is both deeply theological and intimately personal. Gentle and Lowly draws from Scripture to highlight the tender nature of Jesus—how His love and compassion for us don’t diminish as we fail, but rather grow in depth as we are united to Him.
Don't miss: Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers
You will learn that no matter how often you stumble, His love for you remains constant, unwavering, and deeply personal. Don’t let the devil convince you that God’s heart for you has grown cold. Stay with me, and let’s rediscover just how deeply loved we are.
- Strobel, Lee (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Ready? Let’s start!
How easily we who have been united to Christ wonder what God thinks of us in our failures now. The logic of Romans 5 is: Through his Son, he drew near to us when we hated him. Will he remain distant now that we hope we can please him?
- Hardcover Book
- Ortlund, Dane (Author)
He eagerly suffered for us when we were failing, as orphans. Will he cross his arms over our failures now that we are his adopted children?
His heart was gentle and lowly toward us when we were lost. Will his heart be anything different toward us now that we are found? He loved us in our mess then. He’ll love us in our mess now. Our very agony in sinning is the fruit of our adoption. A cold heart would not be bothered. We are not who we were.
When you sin, do a thorough job of repenting. Re-hate sin all over again. Consecrate yourself afresh to the Holy Spirit and his pure ways.
But reject the devil’s whisper that God’s tender heart for you has grown a little colder, a little stiffer. He is not flustered by your sinfulness. His deepest disappointment is with your tepid thoughts of his heart. Christ died, placarding before you the love of God.
If you are in Christ—and only a soul in Christ would be troubled at offending him—your waywardness does not threaten your place in the love of God any more than history itself can be undone.
The hardest part has been accomplished. God has already executed everything needed to secure your eternal happiness, and he did that while you were an orphan. Nothing can now un-child you. Not even you. Those in Christ are eternally imprisoned within the tender heart of God.
We will be less sinful in the next life than we are now, but we will not be any more secure in the next life than we are now. If you are united to Christ, you are as good as in heaven already.
As Spurgeon preached:
Christ loved you before all worlds; long ere the day star flung his ray across the darkness, before the wing of angel had flapped the unnavigated ether, before aught of creation had struggled from the womb of nothingness, God, even our God, had set his heart upon all his children.
Since that time, has he once swerved, has he once turned aside, once changed? No; ye who have tasted of his love and know his grace, will bear me witness, that he has been a certain friend in uncertain circumstances. . .
You have often left him; has he ever left you? You have had many trials and troubles; has he ever deserted you? Has he ever turned away his heart, and shut up his bowels of compassion? No, children of God, it is your solemn duty to say “No,” and bear witness to his faithfulness.
We hope that this reminder of God’s unchanging love has touched your heart today. The beauty of His tenderness, even in our failures, is something we can never fully grasp but can always rest in. So, we want to ask you—have you ever struggled to believe that God’s love for you remains just as strong, even in your mess? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear from you!
If this message resonated with you and you want to dive deeper into the heart of Christ, Gentle and Lowly is a book you won’t want to miss. You can find out more about the book in the description below.
- Hardcover Book
- Ortlund, Dane (Author)
Leave a Comment