Sometime last year, I started noticing that several of my friends on Facebook were all praising one book––Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers. I was intrigued by the string of recommendations, and incorrectly assumed it was something on evangelism. So I grabbed a copy of the audiobook, narrated by the author Dane C. Ortlund and dove in.
What is the Gentle and Lowly about?
Gentle and Lowly is a meditation on Christ (and God’s heart) with the key verse
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. – Matthew 11:29 ESV
Dane takes us through scripture and the reflections of the reformers and puritans to see what it means that Christ is Gentle and Lowly in heart, how it is reflected in the Old Testament and what it means for us.
By drawing on particular scriptures, Dane addresses topics such as feelings of inadequacy and that we can’t be forgiven. He points to God’s enduring love for Israel in the Old Testament as well as the promises that where sin abounds, Christ love abounds further.
One small section that really spoke to me, was his comment that the Puritan writers would take a single verse and mine it for all its worth. This might involve writing a whole book on one single verse from the Bible. I admired that dedication to extracting as much as possible from every single word.
Who should read it?
The book certainly holds a reformed theological perspective, but non-reformed readers will not find it problematic. While I believe any Christian could find value from the book, I believe those who struggle with knowing God’s love or viewing themselves as unlovable would benefit from it especially.
Want a sneak peak?
Crossway have published a 14-day devotional podcast, narrated by the author, Dane. You can experience a glimps of the book’s themes and content as well as hear the author’s voice to help inform you as to whether you would like this book.
Get Gentle and Lowly on Amazon | Apple Books | IndieBound
Have you read Gentle and Lowly? What did you think?
laycistercians says
This book is superb and you won’t regret reading it. So uplifting and Christ-exalting. A must-read!