The Gentleness of Jesus

Close your eyes and picture this. You are in your house or your room, doing whatever you love doing, then you hear “knock, knock” on your door. You take a peek, and to your amazement, Jesus is standing right outside your door. What do you do? Do you freeze and become non-responsive? Do you try to keep Him waiting outside, so you can tidy up and shove everything messy into the cupboard? Or do you just respond immediately and usher Him in, just as you are?

From today’s text, Deuteronomy 30:19, we can see how the Lord doesn’t enforce His will upon on us but allows us to make choices. His heart’s desire is for us to choose life, but He leaves the decision entirely up to us.

In all His majestic splendour, He waits outside the door for you to invite Him in. He doesn’t come to condemn you or to accuse you, but to dine with you, and to bring restoration. He doesn’t force His way in, although He’s the one who created you. He’s the light of the world and, with your permission, He’ll bring that light into your life. For He’s not just the Lord of lords and the King of kings, but He’s also, your friend and brother.

In His gentleness, He’ll only go as far as you let Him. Let’s give Him access to all the rooms, and even the cupboard. Although the disciples had Jesus with them during the storm, it wasn’t until they invited and allowed Him into their predicament that He calmed the storm.

They exclaimed, “Don’t you care!”. It’s not that Jesus doesn’t care. He waits for us to invite Him into our storm. In the Old Testament, we read how God wanted His people to ask Him for help, ‘But you did not call for me, O Jacob; you did not long for me, O Israel! (Isaiah 43:22). So, I encourage you today to long for the Lord and to call upon Him.

In the New Testament, we read, ‘Come close to God, and God will come close to you’ (James 4:8). If we make that step towards Him, then He’ll come towards us. So, run to Him. He won’t run away from you. Instead, it will be just like the story Jesus told of the father of the prodigal son in Luke 15. He’ll run to you, embrace you and restore you.

The Lord stands by His word and His promises. What a blessing to be in relationship with Him! We belong to Him, and, as children created in His image, let’s emulate His character and aim to be like Him.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for being so gentle in my life. Thank You that You care for every detail in my life. Thank You for the choices you give me and thank You that Your heart for me is to make the right choices. I know You want me choose life. Lord, give me the wisdom, strength and courage that I need to walk on the paths You’ve defined and chosen for me. I open wide the door of my life, come in and dine with me and be the Lord of my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray and believe. Amen.