Dave Ortland, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers (aff). Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2020. 224 pages.
This book was enjoyable to read. Dave Ortland is the senior pastor at Naperville Presbyterian Church in Naperville, Illinois. He draws on several prominent Puritan authors in this study of the nature of God’s heart. The Puritans have often been unfairly criticized for being moralistic. But one of their strengths was studying key Scripture passages in depth to glean all the practical wisdom for daily living they could uncover. Ortland frequently references Thomas Goodwin, John Owen, and Jonathan Edwards. These men are all Puritan giants. But he tends to draw from the same few wells in his study. Nevertheless, he serves up a rich feast.
Ortland begins by claiming, “This book is written for the discouraged, the frustrated, the weary, the disenchanted, the cynical, the empty. Those running on fumes” (13). He continues, “So with Christ. It is one thing to know the doctrines of the incarnation and the atonement and a hundred other vital doctrines. It is another, more searching matter to know his heart for you” (16).
Ortland notes that there are many studies on what God does, but Ortland’s focus is on who God is. He zeros in on God’s heart. He notes that out of 89 chapters in the Gospels, Jesus spoke only once about his own heart (17). There, in Matthew 11:28-30, he says that his heart is “gentle and lowly.” The book’s title comes from that statement. It is important to know who God is, because “What he is, he does” (25). Further, “His actions on earth in a body reflected his heart; the same heart now acts in the same way toward us, for we are now his body” (33).
Ortland makes several important points. He notes that the nature of Jesus’ heart means he finds great joy in having sinners come to him. The fact that Jesus was sinless does not make him unsympathetic toward our sin. Rather, “Jesus’s sinlessness means he knows temptations better than we ourselves do” (49). He argues that because Jesus never yielded to sin, he experienced the fullest measure of temptation. He writes, “If you are in Christ, you have a Friend who, in your sorrow, will never lob down a pep talk from heaven. He cannot bear to hold himself at a distance. Nothing can hold him back. His heart is too bound up with yours” (50).
Ortland claims, “In the biblical gospel we are not given a thing; we are given a person” (69). He continues, “He sides with you against your sin, not against you because of your sin. He hates sin. But he loves you” (71).
Ortland includes an interesting discussion of Christ’s intercession on behalf of the saints. He points out that “. . . intercession applies what the atonement accomplished . . . Intercession is the constant hitting ‘refresh’ of our justification in the court of heaven” (79-80). He adds, “and his saving always outpaces and overwhelms our sinning” (85). He also quotes Jonathan Edwards, who said, “Everything that is lovely in God is in Christ” (97). He writes, “We are drawn to God by the beauty of the heart of Jesus” (98).
One statement Ortland made that I was unsure of was when he said to “romance the heart of Christ” (99). Certainly, he challenges readers throughout the book to enjoy and draw near to the heart of Christ, but “romance” might not be the best word choice.
Ortland delves into Christ’s emotions, particularly anger. He suggests that “. . . a morally perfect human such as Christ would be a contradiction if he didn’t get angry” (108). He adds, “. . . he is angrier than you could ever be about the wrong done to you” (112). He also claims that “In Jesus Christ, we are given a friend who will always enjoy rather than refuse our presence” (115). He notes, “Jesus is not the idea of friendship, abstractly, he is an actual friend” (120). He later states, “It is one thing to hear he loves you; it’s another thing to feel his love” (122). He concludes, “. . . but the Spirit is the answer to how Jesus can leave them bodily while leaving his heart behind” (123).
Ortland disagrees with the idea that the Father of the Old Testament is a wrathful God, while Jesus is a loving savior (128). He acknowledges that the Father’s righteous wrath had to be satisfied but points out that the Father and the Son were in full agreement on how to do it, and both were eager to see it accomplished.
Ortland also includes an interesting study of Lamentations 3:33, which marks the exact center of the book (136). In that verse, Scripture makes clear that God does not afflict people from his heart (137). Ortland notes that showing mercy comes naturally to God, whereas his wrath must be provoked (149). Ortland also looks at Exodus 34 (150). When God reveals his true nature to Moses, he mentions his lovingkindness and mercy to a thousand generations. In other words, his mercy is his glory. He punishes three to four generations but shows mercy to a thousand. Likewise, Isaiah 55:8-9 declares that God’s ways are not our ways. In other words, God’s heart and his love are not what people would naturally expect (155). Ortland concludes, “We think small thoughts of God’s heart” (159). He also highlights the pinnacle of Jeremiah’s prophecy in 31:3 when God declares that he has loved his people with an everlasting love (163).
The only thing the Bible says God is rich in is mercy (172). The Puritan writers spent much time unpacking Ephesians 2:4. Ortland notes, “Christ was sent not to mend wounded people or wake sleepy people or advise confused people or inspire bored people or spur lazy people or educate ignorant people, but to raise dead people (175). He adds, “We can be immoral dead people, or we can be moral dead people. Either way, we’re dead” (177).
Some people look at their difficult lives and claim God is not good or merciful. In response, Ortland claims, “To you I say, the evidence of Christ’s mercy toward you is not your life. The evidence of his mercy toward you is his—mistreated, betrayed, abandoned. Eternally. In your place” (179). He continues, “The battle of the Christian life is to bring your own heart into alignment with Christ’s, that is, getting up each morning and replacing your natural orphan mindset with a mindset of full and free adoption into the family of God through the work of Christ your older brother, who loved you and gave himself for you out of the overflowing fullness of his gracious heart” (181).
Ortland also notes, “. . . the end time judgment that awaits all humans has, for those in Christ, already taken place. We who are in Christ no longer look to the future for judgment, but to the past; at the cross, we see our punishment happening, all our sins being punished in Jesus” (187). Ortland argues, “Conversion isn’t a fresh start. Conversion, authentic regeneration, is the invincibilizing of our future” (193). He adds, “We love to a limit. Jesus loves to the end” (198).
This book is well written and digs into key Scriptures, some of which are not often studied by the average Christian. Ortland shares a number of profound thoughts that require pondering. If you have not read much from the Puritans, this could be a great introduction to how they tackle a crucial topic. Time is never wasted when we draw near to Christ and study his heart.
Rating: 4
