I grew up with parents who tried to commit suicide several different times, and with a dad who was very harsh and demanding. I spent most of my childhood and teenage years as a very introverted young man. So when I found the Lord in my senior year of high school, I was very surprised at how gentle His love was for me.
It was like I was sitting on His Divine lap with His everlasting arms wrapped around me. I was able to pour out my heart’s feelings that had been unexpressed for seventeen years, all without words, but with a lot of tears and heart. He just showered me with His love and acceptance as He filled me with His Holy Spirit. It was the greatest experience that I had ever experienced in my young life. Dad and Mom loved me, and Mom was the gentle parent, but their love was nothing compared to the divine love that I felt at that altar fifty years ago.
I have seen Him do the same for many others down through the years, and it is always like I am experiencing the same joy as they are, all over again. It never ceases to be a beautiful and divine experience. It is the same with sinners, saints who are struggling, and with those who have grown cold toward their Lord and close to the world. Peace and Joy flood their hearts and souls as they seek Him sincerely.
David said that it was the ‘gentleness’ of God which had made him great.
Psalm 18:35, “You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.”
Jesus teaches us that in order for us to be able to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, we have to first become like little children, without sin.
Matthew 18:3, “Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Little children are what the Apostle Paul teaches us to be like in malice, or in matters concerning evil. Children used to be, anyway, very naïve concerning the evil things of this world.
I Corinthians 14:20, ”Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.”
Paul teaches that the Kingdom of God is three things:
1- righteousness, or right living, according to God’s standards – not our own
2- peace, which can only come from God’s peace – not from the world
3- joy in the Holy Spirit, which is the same joy you experience when you find Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
David grew up as a shepherd of sheep. He was accustomed to being alone in the fields on the sides of the hills, with no one but his sheep and his God. While alone with his sheep, David wrote at least 74 of the 150 Psalms. Many others were written by those serving under David as King of Israel. David’s inspiration for his psalms came from his communion in prayers and meditations with his God. This is where David first experienced the gentleness of God’s Holy Spirit; alone with his sheep far away from groups of people.
It’s interesting to note that Jesus also not only started His ministry by spending 40 days in the wilderness, but also withdrew from the disciples and the multitudes of people to be alone and pray. Aloneness seems to be a key to finding and experiencing the gentle love of God’s Holy Spirit, especially when that time alone is spent meditating in His Word, and lifting up one’s voice to Him in supplication and praise.
A child’s heart is without malice. He/she doesn’t hold a grudge when done wrong. A child is quick to forget the wrong or the hurt. They soon join in the play again, all with a smile. A child is innocent, concerning adult subjects, thus they have beautiful, pure eyes and countenances. A child is easily loved.
I believe this is why many children are able to see angels around them, and sometimes dark spirits trying to deceive them, because of their purity. Purity is what God is; and purity draws one very close to the veil that separates us from His spiritual world of spirit beings.
Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Purity and holiness are character traits that He gives us as we separate ourselves from the desires of the flesh and the desires of the world, and spend time alone with Him in the inner closets of our hearts. Then He will give us strength to obey His Word with a child-like heart. Then we begin to experience the gentleness of His Presence around us and in our hearts and minds.
Jesus teaches us that in order for us to be exalted in His Kingdom, we have to humble ourselves in this life. In order to go up, we have to go down. Jesus gave us the example by being a servant to all, even though He was the Creator of the whole world.
David and Jesus knew how to have a child-like heart and share that love with others. However, not everyone was willing to receive that love from them. Why? Because many people are not willing to be humble, sincere and forgiving, as a child. They insist on retaining their pride and dignity and self-dependency. To these people, both David and Christ showed a firm correcting judgment on their behavior, warning them that if they did not change their ways, then they would never experience the joys of heaven, but would suffer outer darkness.
So if you desire to find someone who can understand you without harshness and unjust judgment, why not try Jesus Christ? He is the gentle shepherd. His love is greater than any earthly love. He has all knowledge and all power. He is the great physician and surgeon of the soul and heart of mankind.
He only asks three things in return:
1- your honest, sincere, obedient, and humble servant-like attitude of heart
2- your willingness to turn away from all things that displease Him as your Lord and Savior
3- your willingness to spend time alone with Him meditating and praying over His Word
His gentleness and His peace are free for the asking. Humble yourself today and ask Him to reveal Himself to you as your Lord and Savior. Eternity is coming sooner than you think. Be ready … for you know not the hour He will call you to stand before Him. Choose to stand before Him as your Savior instead of as your Judge.
