Monday, May 5, 2014

Gentle


"And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.  And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of gentle stillness and a delicate, whispering, still, small voice."
-1 Kings 19:11-12

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...God reveals himself here to Elijah, not in destruction, but in Gentleness.
He shows Himself to be trademarked by Tenderness
defined by a "Delicate Voice"
The God Who created the worlds with a Word
reveals Himself in a Whisper.
The One Who could've overwhelmed Elijah with His Magnanimity
instead came to him, His beloved, His chosen
in the minutiae,
in the diminutive,
in the Still Small Voice...

in Gentleness.

It's important to speak rightly of our God, especially to those in distress, those under duress, those dealing with the destruction that this world and its brokenness can bring upon us.
It is important to not be like Job's friends, who came under rebuke from the Most High, for misrepresenting God's character and His heart toward His beloved.

It's been said that those who intimately understand their God are God's mercy to His creation;

Understanding God's gentleness is a good place to start.

Meriam Webster expounds on this, God's defining characteristic, this way:

Considerate or kindly in disposition; amiable and tender.
Not harsh or severe; mild and soft: a gentle scolding; a gentle tapping at the window.
Easily managed or handled; docile: a gentle horse.
Not steep or sudden; gradual: a gentle incline.
Of good family; wellborn: a child of gentle birth.
Suited to one of good breeding; refined and polite: a gentle greeting to a stranger.
Noble; chivalrous: a gentle knight.

One of good birth or relatively high station.
tr.v. gen·tled, gen·tling, gen·tles
To make less severe or intense: The peaceful sunset gentled her dreadful mood.
To soothe, as by stroking; pacify.
To tame or break (a domestic animal, for instance): gentle a horse.
To raise to the status of a noble.

to tame; render tractable.
to mollify; calm; pacify.
to make gentle.
to stroke; soothe by petting.
to ennoble; dignify.

Synonyms

1. clement, peaceful, pacific, soothing; tender, humane, lenient, merciful. Gentle, meek, mild refer to an absence of bad temper or belligerence. Gentle has reference especially to disposition and behavior, and often suggests a deliberate or voluntary kindness or forbearance in dealing with others: a gentle pat; gentle with children. Meek implies a submissive spirit, and may even indicate undue submission in the face of insult or injustice: meek and even servile or weak. Mild suggests absence of harshness or severity, rather because of natural character or temperament than conscious choice: a mild rebuke; a mild manner. 3. temperate. 5. noble. 7. manageable, docile, tame, quiet. 9. courteous; polished.

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"Your Gentleness has made me great."
-Psalm 18:35

1 comment:

Dan said...

I love this, Elizabeth. Brought tears to my eyes.... *