Soulfood

I have been meaning to post reflections on Ta’Nehisi Coates’s autobiographical Between the World and Me but I struggle to write and think about his words in a way that doesn’t feel wrong. More on that later…maybe.

In the meantime – Dane Ortlund’s book Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers is worth some thoughts and as a thoroughgoing sinner I feel more qualified to share my reflections.

This book is a modernization, in part, of a number of Puritan works including treatises by Thomas Goodwin, John Bunyan, and John Owen among others. The premise is that Jesus’ heart is oriented towards grace and mercy above all else – because this is the heart of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – towards miserable sinners such as I am.

Ortlund’s summary of and additions to the writings of Goodwin in particular are so convincing that one can scarcely understand how any of us would perceive the God revealed in Scripture as anyone other than a gracious, loving, merciful, kind Father. Ortlund observes that while God, throughout Scripture, is characterized as being “provoked to anger” He is never provoked to mercy, kindness, graciousness, or compassion. This is because the former is not His basic disposition towards us while the latter dispositions are natural in Him in His relations with us, His image-bearers (see Chapter 16 especially).

If all of Scripture is so clear in its depiction of God as loving, merciful, kind, and gracious towards us, how is it that we so often perceive Him as being harsh, judgmental, wrathful, and hard? I think it is because we see Him in our image rather than seeing Him as He truly is. My default disposition is judgmental towards others. My default assumption in dealing with others is that those who sin against me (whether truly or in my vicious delusions) deserve judgment and punishment. Rather than desiring that none should perish, I desire that those who cross my will be punished as they deserve for daring to oppose me. And so, foolishly trusting in my own self-centered and sin-clouded perceptions, I project onto God what I see in myself, all the while forgoing His tender loving kindness and everlasting forbearance.

Ortlund reminds us that while our grace has limits, God’s does not. For those in Christ Jesus, He waits patiently to shed abroad His grace in our hearts. Unlike me, who holds grudges and whose patience has limits, the Father loves to be gracious and overlooks my many offenses against Him!

I could write much more, and instead will encourage you to read this book to receive much encouragement. Do you doubt God’s love and goodness? Read this book. Do you struggle with doubts and fears? Read this book. Or listen to it. I’m on my second listening of the Audible edition, read by the author (Dane Ortlund). Suffering sinner, God’s heart is *for* you. Be encouraged, and take heart!