“I cite you, my Christian hearer, as Christ’s witness to this truth. Has not the Lord dealt gently with you?
Gently has he carried you over the rough place, gently has he led you through the swelling tide, gently has he wounded, and with what gentleness has he healed you, gently has he chastened, and how gently has he dried your tears.
With what gentleness has he dealt with you in sickness, in suffering, and in grief.
How gently he has corrected your backslidings, restored your wanderings, guided your perplexities, removed your burdens; and thus, with a power that is never exhausted, with a skill that is never baffled, with a patience that never wearies, with a love that never falters, and with a gentleness that never overdrives, Christ is leading you step by step heavenward, where with a depth of gratitude and an emphasis of meaning unfelt before, you shall exclaim, ‘Thy gentleness hath made me great (2 Sam. 22:36, Psa. 18:35).’ “
Octavious Winslow, The Burdened Gently Led by Christ
Winslow sure has a soothing way of expressing God’s mercy and grace.
I love these writings by him.
Thank you for sharing!
He really does have a “soothing” way of expressing the mercy and grace of God. Being new to Reformed Theology I am only now discovering this rich heritage we have as Christians. Sometime I feel like a kid in a candy shop! What a blessing we cut ourselves off from when we neglect these writings. I think Winslow and Pink are my favorite so far! : )
I feel the same way, it’s like this great treasure trove of writings. What a huge blessing it really is!
Heehee. I’m tiptoeing my way into the candy shop also. 🙂 Oh my, I just love reading these and realizing, “Someone else found this in Christ too!!!!”
P.S. Reading the whole original that you cited and comparing it with the “Practical Religion” quote… I see how greatly we need, in our everyday life, to practice this same gentleness with others…