Reflections of Grace 29: Walking in the Spirit - Kindness

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The Greek word for kindness means tender concern for others. It has nothing to do with weakness or lack of conviction, rather it is the genuine desire of a believer to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats us… the term possesses the harmlessness of a dove. It is a tender heart and a nurturing spirit. Each quality of the Holy Spirit is absolutely divine.
They are impossible goals for the unbeliever, yet attainable graces for the true believer. They are manifestations of the Father Himself through the yielded or spirit filled child of God.
I am convinced that many believers are far more knowledgeable in the areas of God’s sovereignty and judgment than they are His tenderness and kindness. you can know Him well as Lord yet never truly relate to Him as Father. So, let me introduce you, some for the very first time to the El Shaddai, the Father of sufficiency, our God, the nurturing parent.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 says: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth for in these I delight.

Hosea 11:4 says: I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.

The precious portrait of God’s tender heart and nurturing Spirit is the calming of a child’s fears by his father.

Jeremiah 3: 17 says: The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

This illustrates that beautiful moment in which God’s throne becomes a rocking chair and He pulls His fretting fearful child into His arms and says, “It’s ok, I am right here.” What does it mean to be quieted with his love? If you are a parent, you have quieted a child with your love countless times, rocking the child, and all the while whispering shhhhh mommy or daddy loves you. How does God rejoice over you with singing? It is the picture of a parent savoring the moment as His child rests in His arms with the tender melody of a lullaby.
Do you remember matt: 19:14? Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. This verse is the peak of his tender heart. Remember the Son who has been nurtured with love and tenderness also know how to administer love and tenderness.. He is tender! He must have had such a gentle touch. He could have just as easily have healed by thought alone, but so often He chose to touch. He touched the blind man that he might see, He touched the dead child that she might live. He demonstrated Agape! He took her by the hand!
Oh do you know Him this way, friends? Do you allow Him to nurture you? Do you take Him your fears and your fretting and allow Him to hold you in His arms and cover you with His love and kindness?
Let’s think of Mary Magdalene for a moment: After Jesus was killed her heart was broken. She owed Jesus her life and her sanity. She had experienced life firsthand in the web of the evil one. Yet, she had also experienced true deliverance. Mary devoted her entire existence to her Deliverer. She did not deny herself the pain of watching him die, nor did she leave Him until the stone was rolled into place. Suddenly he was gone. Unlike many others, Mary did not lament lost opportunities, nor a seemingly forfeited kingdom. Her grief was simple. She missed Jesus. She loved him. So, why did he appear first to her? I believe the answer is because Mary’s lord, and ours, is tenderhearted and kind. He intimately loved her and honored her and loved that she loved him in that manner.
Take a good look at the faces around you this week. At the rich and the poor, miserable and happy, those who are driving next to you on the freeway. The neighbor getting their mail. The criminals on the news…look at their faces. We are called to be Him extended. How can we take on His kindness and begin to be Him reaching out to a broken world? It always goes back to the fact that we can’t trust someone without knowing them in the truest sense of the word. We have to know Him. Then we will trust Him, and take on His attributes.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 (NLT) Abba, as in Daddy…even more it is MY Daddy.

Jesus was the one I could put in that place as my best friend —and then I saw this scripture and it became revelation to me. Jesus speaking:

If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John14:7

Knowing and loving Jesus is all we need. He can fill every place of emptiness in our inner man with Himself if we allow Him too

Jesus is the Almighty. He has absolute power over all. As I ask God to speak to you, I can hear him say. All power has been given to Jesus in heaven and in earth. Let him establish his power in you today. Let him take every fear and burden of your life. He is able to do great things in you, for you, and through you, today. Our minds, emotions, thoughts, and wills are held by him with an unbreakable chain which is secured to the heart of God. In a still, small voice He seems to say, “Stop trying so hard to hold onto me. I am never going to let you go. Rest on the waters of your life. Let me hold you. Respond to the hope I have placed in you.
The first way to really know Him is in the beauty of your surroundings. Notice it, ponder it, lean into it. He is speaking. The key is to be aware. Think on Him. Invite Him there. Talk to Him. He longs for relationship with you and is waiting.
Knowing Him is not pledging ourselves to religious service. We can talk about Him, teach about Him, even tell others about Him, but have no intimacy with Him ourselves!!