Gentle and Lowly

Exodus 34:6-7a
"The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in faithfulness and truth; who keeps faithfulness for thousands, who forgives wrongdoing, violation of His law, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished..."

Matthew 11:29
"'Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'"

Is God angry with His children? Perhaps you've struggled with this idea, as I have. You know you're saved, you know you aren't condemned to hell (Romans 8:1), but you still see God as angry with you every time you sin. How could He not be? Isn't He constantly grading our performance, tracking every detail in His Book of Life?

Yet what drove God to call His children to Him in the first place? Was it our performance? Our obedience? Our moral excellence? No. God called us because of His own unconditional love. It isn't about us. It's about Him. God knew every sin we would commit beforehand, and He still chose us; it wasn't about us - it was about showing His glory. 

I submit to you: the fact we aren't perfect is the very thing God uses to draw others to Himself through us. We don't draw people to God by being perfect; people are drawn by the knowledge that God loves us despite our imperfections - despite our sin. Contrary to our instinctual reactions, we shouldn't hide our sins and pretend we're perfect. Instead, we are to be transparent about our sin and repent of it. In this way, God has turned even our sins into a way to glorify God - to point out His compassion, grace, and mercy.

As Paul says in Romans 6:15 this does not give us license to sin, but it does mean God expected us to sin. This is Plan A. God does not need a contingency plan. God must punish sin, but He has already dealt that punishment - on His only begotten Son. There is no anger left for you, His child, saved by His love, mercy, and grace. These are what is left after the sacrifice of the holy and perfect Lamb.

I think so often of my own frustration with my children when they do not obey, and think God must be so frustrated with me. Yet that very word - frustrate - means to "prevent (a plan or attempted action) from progressing, succeeding, or being fulfilled." No plan of God's can be thwarted, or frustrated (Job 42:2). God is not like a human parent. 

So what is the significance of this? God's heart toward His children is not one of anger - even when we sin. He paid that price and it is finished. Now, it's time to repent, and move on - which God is here to help with! He doesn't call me to repent before I come to Him; He calls me to come to Him so I can repent! This is (a piece of) the grace and wonder of God: that every part of our salvation and sanctification (ongoing progress toward Christ-likeness) is performed by His own hand. We rely on Him every step of the way - or we face the natural consequences of attempting to do it ourselves.

These natural consequences are not God's anger, they are His discipline. Discipline and anger are not the same thing. Discipline is solely meant for the good of the one being disciplined. It is meant for instruction, not punishment. Again, that punishment has already been taken. Discipline is instruction, and we are foolish not to accept it.

If you struggle with thinking of God as angry, or struggle with understanding how He could be "gentle and humble of heart," I would highly suggest reading Dane Ortlund's book, Gentle and Lowly. It is a beautiful encouragement and insight into the heart of our Lord.

I thank God He is gentle and lowly. He doesn't lord my failures over me, or drive me into the ground with guilt, but rather that He grants me mercy, and then even beyond that gives me grace to be in relationship with Him - with Love Himself.