Knowing His Heart
Many of you know that I enjoy reading, I think sometimes the love of reading comes with the office of pastor as much of my days are filled with learning and thinking. I love to find out what other pastor friends of mine are reading and use some of their favorites as recommendations to add to my “read next” list.
A couple of years ago I was encouraged to read Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. I purchased the book and had every intention of diving in, but other things vied for my attention and it ended up on my bookshelf in my office. Well, I recently pulled it down and started reading and I have enjoyed it immensely. It’s so very encouraging and its words bring comfort to a weary soul. What I’d like to do here over the next few weeks is simply share some truths that really struck a chord in my heart and mind as I read. I very well may develop some of these ideas into a future sermon series as I’m sure that they would breathe life into worn and heavy hearts who yearn for reminders of the mercy and grace of God.
His Very Heart
From the very onset Ortlund brings to the reader’s attention that in all the pages of the Gospels recorded for us, there is only one time that Jesus opens up and shares with us His very heart: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30
There are so many words that could have been used to described His heart, yet the words chosen are “gentle and lowly.” As all good students of the Bible know the word “heart”, as spoken of in the Scripture, is not a part of who we are, but the very center of who we are. So what does it mean to be “gentle and lowly of heart”?
“I am gentle…” After studying other translations of this word in the Bible we find that what Jesus is communicating about Himself is that he is meek, humble, not trigger-happy or harsh. He doesn’t stand with a pointed finger, but rather with open arms.
“….and lowly….” The word used here is often translated humble in other places in the Bible, but Ortlund makes a point to his readers that the truth that is being conveyed is that Jesus is accessible. In spite of all His glory and holiness and uniqueness, Jesus is more approachable than any other human in all of history.
According to Jesus’ own testimony of himself, this is who He is: tender, open, welcoming, accommodating, and understanding—gentle and lowly. But there’s one qualifying statement in Matthew 11:28. Jesus isn’t this to everyone—He is this for those who come unto Him and take His yoke upon them.
This “easy” yoke that Jesus speaks of is not a claim to a life free from pain or hardship. No, what He is telling us is that it is a yoke of kindness. Ortlund illustrates it this way:
“It’s like telling a drowning man that he must put on the burden of a life preserver only to hear him shout back, sputtering, “No way! Not me! This is hard enough, drowning here in these stormy waters. That last thing I need is the added burden of a life preserver around my body!” (p. 22)
The reality of what we learn of Jesus is that this is not how must people intuitively think about Jesus. More often than not, we project our own ideas about how our world works onto the Savior. Without realizing what we have done, we quietly assume that one so high, holy, and exalted as Christ, would have difficulty drawing near to us who are unclean and despicable.
This is why we need the Scriptures, for the Christ whom we fashion from our own intuition is a God like us, but the God revealed to us in the pages of His Holy Word is One Who far exceeds what we would ever think. (“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14) Instead, we find a Savior who startles us as we learn His perfections include His gentleness. It is who He is—gentle and lowly.