“God is More Tender of You Than You Are”

I’ve been re-reading “Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortlund. My first time through I thought I had marked the book up pretty well… but going through a second time I’m underlining all sorts of new passages.

As I flipped through the first morning of my re-read, I landed on pg. 133 where Ortlund is quoting John Flavel’s book “Keeping the Heart”. Flavel says:

“Remember that this God in whose hand are all creatures, in your Father, and is much more tender of you than you are, or can be, of yourself.”

So I’ve been mulling that over. Especially on the days that I’m exceptionally hard on myself.

God is more compassionate toward me, than I am toward myself.

God is more tender toward me, than I am toward myself.

God is more gentle toward me, than I am toward myself.

My failings, my doubts, my weaknesses, my concerns… are no match against God’s mercy. God doesn’t tolerate those things in me… he lives to meet those things with his grace.

Every time I cry out “Jesus help me” – his heart leaps at the opportunity to show me his compassion. Every time I cry out “Jesus I’m sorry” – his heart quickens to show me his tenderness and mercy. Every time I cry out “Jesus I need you” – his heart swells with the joy of being gentle with me.

As I contemplate Christ’s compassion toward me – it made the song we sang at church last Sunday all the more beautiful to my soul:

How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He has said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed; for I am your God, and will still give you aid;

I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, up-held by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call you to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

for I will be with you, your troubles to bless, and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace, all sufficient, shall be your supply; 

the flame shall not hurt you; I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake. 

That’s my prayer for today – that we who have leaned heavily upon Jesus would rest in knowing he will not desert us or forsake us – we are his, and he is delighted that we are.