THE GENTLENESS OF GOD: A MODEL TO IMITATE

“But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.” (1 Thess.2:7-9)

Paul was gentle like Jesus—the Lord of Whom it was said, “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory” (Matt.12:20).  Picture a plant that has been bent over; its stem is bruised and close to breaking. It takes the tender touch of the gardener to restore it. A candle wick barley glowing—nearly extinguished—needs a soft breath to ignite it again. Blow too hard and out it goes. Thus, people who are bruised and the fire of their soul almost gone, need the tender touch.

In the home, you think of a mother.  If something is broken and you need it fixed you run to Dad.  If you have fallen and are hurting, you run to Mom.  As ministers of the Gospel to people flee from us or fly to us?

This week we have studied the gentleness of God. Christ was the incarnation of that compassion and consolation to the bruised and battered.  The Holy Spirit is pictured as a dove of peace and not a screech owl or screaming eagle.  

Paul imitated Jesus in this sense. He nourished them with truth as a nursing mother takes a baby to her breast.  He poured his life into them with labor and toil as a mom does in birthing us and bringing us up.  If Paul had to stay up all night, he would—and sometimes did.  That is the way mothers are and they are a model to imitate in ministry whether you are a vocational pastor or a lay minister. Those who have fallen need to be lifted up rather than shoved down lower.

THE GENTLENESS OF GOD: A PROMISE TO CLAIM

“For thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.’” (Isaiah‬ ‭66:12-13‬)

“I will…” is the assurance of God’s action. God cannot lie.  What He says He will do rest assured He will do.

There is the promise of peace as we rest in God’s arms, “I will extend peace...like a river...” (v.12a).  As a gentle river flows, creating a sound that soothes a troubled soul, thus God sends a stream of peace constant and comforting to His children. It is a lullaby to His child.

There is the promise of provision, “Then you shall feed...” (v.12b) fed as a mother feeds the babe with the breast, and carried on the hip as a mother carries her child, “On her sides shall you be carried...” (v.12c), and bounced on the knees as a mother plays with her young one, “and be dandled on her knees” (v.12d).

That is a picture of comfort, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you” (v.13a) and it is the promise of God!  “You shall be comforted...” (v.13b). Not all the powers of hate can diminish this promise of love!

THE GENTLENESS OF GOD: A TRUTH TO UNDERSTAND

 “As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you…” (Isa.66:13a)

The text does not say God is our Heavenly Mother, but that He will comfort His children as a mother does. It is an analogy to help us understand this dimension of God’s character—His gentleness. Scripture states in several places that God is our Rock.  He is not literally made of stone!  It suggests that He is a stable foundation to build your life on and a strong fortress to stand on.

Did you know that there are liberal denominations that are changing the language of Bible translations and hymns to align with radical feminism?  You might go to one of these churches and hear this:

One hymn calls the Almighty "Mother God." Another alludes to the universe as the "womb of life" A third refers to the Holy Spirit as "She [who] comes sailing on the wind." https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-78682355/her-hymns

We are not to impose our ideology on a Biblical text, but let the text dictate our theology.  But, we also cannot be fearful of truth that makes us uncomfortable just because there are those extreme voices.  We are accursed if we add to or take away from Scripture.

Always remember that God is above and beyond us—He is other than us.  While the Bible presents God as Father, also understand that God is a Spirit—so He does not have a body as a sexual being.  When He made humans in His image, He made them male and female, and so there are dimensions in the character of men and women that flow from God.  It does not flow back the other direction, however. Men and women are made in His image, not the opposite!  That is making God in our image—and that is idolatry.

One aspect of God’s character that He has given is his gentleness that we see expressed in maternal love.  Fathers love their children and a man can be tender too—yet there is a superlative quality about a mother’s compassion.  Mothers give us life, carry us in their womb and later in their arms.  They nourish us with their milk.  God is the source and strength of our life.  Mother’s refuse to give up on us—and God will not either!

THE GENTLENESS OF GOD

“For thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.’” (Isaiah 66:12-13)

The first person of the Trinity, is God the Father.  This is a title consistent throughout Scripture.  Jesus, the second person of the Trinity called God, “My Father,” and taught us to address God as, “our Father.”  The third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit cries from within us, “Abba, Father,” as we call upon God.  We most often associate God with being our Father—rightly so.  But, another aspect of His character is the tenderness of a mother.  Now, mind you, we aren’t saying that God is to be called, “Mother,” nor thought of in that sense of His being. However, we will explore one attribute of God this week that will be illustrated by the analogy of a mother—the gentleness of God.  We do not want to say more than what the Scripture says in this matter, but neither should we say less.