When the Bible refers to the heart, it’s not referring to our emotional life but to the epicenter of our entire being. In biblical terms, the human heart is not a part of who we are but the essence of all that we are.
So then, what does the Bible have to say about the heart of Jesus? Interestingly, there is only one description of our Savior’s heart in Scripture, and it’s disclosed in Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus Himself extends this wonderful invitation:
“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.” (11:28–30)
In the new book Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers, author Dane Ortlund will lead you into the very heart of God incarnate and show you the immensity of Jesus’ tender love for sinners. Gentle and Lowly overturns any notions that Jesus grows weary of our weaknesses and failures and instead affirms that Christ came to heal and forgive. His reservoir of mercy and grace is limitless.
Ortlund gives us a comprehensive portrait of the tenderness of Christ, enabling us to see that Jesus’ abounding love and grace far outstrip our guilt and shame. Gentle and Lowly moves us beyond our human understanding of forgiveness by helping us grasp the wellspring of mercy that eagerly awaits us when we come to Jesus in all our brokenness and with all our shortcomings.
This new release interweaves insights from Puritan authors—including Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Goodwin, John Bunyan, and Richard Sibbes—along with other historical theologians, so that we can learn more about the saving power of the cross from the Puritans, who knew the forgiving heart of Jesus well. Gentle and Lowly will invite you to more fully understand that our Savior welcomes us to come to Him with our failings time and time again. Christ came to save sinners. It’s what He loves to do.
