The Gentleness of Love

I listened to a family talk about slowing down their life. They live in Scotland in a secluded place by the water. The water and seclusion seem to provide rest for them as they plunge in with wetsuits because of the cold temperatures, and they enjoy the scenery of the rolling waves. They confirm being refreshed with new life, and calmed.

Spending time with Jesus is just like this. He is our refreshment. He slows us down and restores our peace.

“You lead me beside the still and restful waters. You refresh and restore my life” (Psalm 23:2,3).

Time spent keeping focused on Jesus keeps us in perfect peace because we trust Him. He is our peace, calm, and everlasting strength (Isaiah 26:3,4). This is not dependent on the circumstance, but even in the midst of difficulty, He is the same, and His gift of peace is the same.

We do not live by natural substances alone; His Word is life to us, providing what we need to live in a peaceful state (Matthew 4:4). There is nothing variable about the consistency and constancy of God’s presence; His qualities do not fluctuate; they are never altered. We can always count on His stability and His comforting arms of love. He is our place of refuge. In this place, we are secure; Jesus provides us the security of knowing He has power that the enemy cannot stand against (Psalm 91:1,2).

In this restful place, we know we are loved and provided for. We praise the Lord, as He has captured our attention, and we see the holiness of His face. We are dwelling in peace…  we experience supernatural rest in Him. We do not need to long for refreshment or this kind of place. We are already there because we are dwelling in Him! This is the blessed life of a child of God; even while living on earth, we experience the delight of the Father. In His presence is the fullness of joy, and we are always in His presence (Psalm 16:11). This experience, this comfort, is only possible because we know Him. We praise Him for His Holy Spirit Who leads us to be personally acquainted with Him. All the while, through every circumstance, God holds us… even during trouble, He has provided this safe place for us; we are held by the Creator of the universe… He is both fierce and gentle at the same time. He is extraordinary! And this is peace that surpasses understanding… this is the comfort of unconditional love.

God is saying to each of us, “Come and rest here. Come and be loved here. Come and be comforted here…”

By His strength, He holds us up as we turn to Him; when we are weak, He is strong. Allow Him to delight you with all He is, with an experience of His love and care…