Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

Wow, what an amazing book dedicated to the heart of Jesus. I read this throughout the month of June and each time I picked it up, I grew in faith in the Lord. I was encouraged, reminded, comforted and sometimes convicted. Make sure you check out the YouTube Live Shows on Krista's Channel, BooksAndJams for more in depth discussions! I am so thankful to have joined some of the live show discussions with her and other lovely ladies this month. My channel name is BookLoverAmanda. This book dives deep into the heart of Christ and how he views us. He is gentle and lowly in heart. This book beautifully explains this in each chapter and provides some great historical background from the Puritans. What I was reminded of: • We often minimize our sin, we don’t have a good understanding of it because we have a sinful nature. God shows us His ultimate grace and Christ’s heart is drawn to us. Romans 5:20 “Where sin increased, Grace abounded all the more.” • Christ intercedes for us and he will never cast out. • He is an advocate for us. I resonated with this so much because my son has Autism and I have been struggling this past year and found myself sitting in my feelings many days. I can remember specifically one week where I had been so overwhelmed and not praying as I should. I cried out to the Lord one night, praying for my son to have good days at school and to help him grow in his speech and skills. The very next day, he had the best day he had in weeks and the chapter on Jesus being our advocate reminded me that just like I am advocating for my son in his struggles, with therapy and preschool, Jesus is advocating for me, my husband and my son all along the journey. • Jesus is our friend, he is near to us and we should draw near to him. • Jesus understands our feelings and has compassion for us. In our grief, he is grieved. He sees what we are going through and is not surprised by anything we are going through or feeling. • We don’t have to do anything (works) to earn his love. I love the comparison of the son trying to do everything to secure his place in the family when he doesn’t have to do anything special – the same for us in our relationship with Jesus. It’s settled and irreversible. • While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He loves me in my mess – my crazy, busy, working mom life mess. I can’t be everything for everybody and that’s ok. This chapter reminded me that throughout my mess – he is always sustaining me and loving me and listening. Overall, this is a perfect book to help us understand Jesus and His heart for us.

There are few books that I would say have serious "changed my life." Obviously, the Bible, God's written word, is the absolute authority (Sola Scriptura) and has transformed my life and continues to shape me day by day, but then there are really good books which it's authors have sought to rightly explain and apply the Bible to our lives. For me, those really good books have been ones that have given me major paradigm shifts in my life as a Christian. Titles like Don't Waste Your Life and Desiring God by John Piper, Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem, and the Doctrine of the Word of God by John Frame have been foundational to my understanding and walk with God and are always near me in my bookshelf to pick up. However, it has been a long time since I felt a significant shift and renewal in my heart from a book like I did with these books. What's so fascinating is how God has used this small book to radically rock my heart to tears with the simple yet profound wonder of the heart of my Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Son of God! Honestly, learning how Christ's heart is towards me has been so radically life-changing for me because it has clarified and helped me live out what I believed and known to be true but yet somehow not have fully lived out or experienced. Reading that the Chrisitan life is all about coming to Jesus no matter how you feel because you know how Jesus feels toward you has transformed how I see my daily life. As I fight sin, I fight sin by coming to Jesus who says true rest is found in him and he will always give it. When I fail in that fight and sin, I don't have to feel shame and condemnation because he bore it all and his love intensifies even more for me. There are so many quotes to write here, but my goal in this review is to just say this: Please buy this book, read it, recommend it to others, and be refreshed by the Gospel of Jesus because you know more his heart in all of his redemptive work. To know that you are united with Christ always means that you are eternally invincible. Really? I can come to Jesus with all my filth and failure? "If you knew his heart, you would." - Thomas Goodwin

Great read. The author simply and gracefully writes to remind us of the immeasureable love of God in a practical way. I highly recommend it!

Beautiful reminder of Christ's tender love for us when we come in truth, seeking forgiveness.

This book is a highly recommended read for everyone, regardless of your station in life or your spiritual understanding or level of maturity.

I’m one of those people who begin to read the introduction of a book and pretty quickly become bored with it and just jump on to chapter one. But this book? The very first sentence of his introduction caught my eye and I couldn’t stop until I’d reached the end. It was so captivating and seemed to speak just for me. His vocabulary was gentle, not ‘show-offy’ and gave a preview of a book that just might know how I’m really feeling. I’m about to get in my cozy spot with a soft throw, and find out how God really feels about me as I dive into chapter one.

Very insightful. I haven’t read a book like this in a long time. Every point made in this book is backed up by supporting scripture

This book was Holy Spirit led. I definitely recommend if you tend to struggle with shame and guilt. Leanigng the character of Christ and his heart for sinners is life changing