On our coffee table is a book called The Charm of Simple Things. It’s a collection of quotes and illustrations meant for perusal at leisure, which is maybe why I haven’t looked at it in a while. But on this morning I had moved from office to living room with a fresh cup of coffee (a commitment to be more intentional about rest) and spied the book. I picked it up and read these words by W. Phillip Keller:
“Most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, will admit that we live too fast, too erratically, too crudely, and too thoughtlessly. The remedy or antidote for all this is to live gently.“*
The phrase ‘live gently’ caught my attention. I pulled it off the page and into my mind and sat with it for a while. As the phrase rolled around in my mind (gently, of course), I knew God was extending an invitation. He wanted this to stay with me, perhaps even to change me. How like God to take a random moment in the day and insert something profound. And so He and I began a conversation. These kinds of conversations with God usually begin, for me at least, with a question like:
What does it mean in Your eyes, Lord, to live this way?
God often responds with His own question, something like:
Do you really want to know?
And I understand what He means is…do I really want to change? And if I do, then will I be open to what He shows me about myself that needs to change? And, even more, will I be willing to do my part as we work together on this?
He knows me well.
Because I truly want to live as God has created me to live, and because I truly believe He means it when He says we will be transformed by the Spirit into His likeness*, my answer is, “Yes, Lord, I really do want to know.”
This is an ongoing conversation. What I am learning so far from God is this…He is gentle with us. He has led me to places in Scripture where His gentleness is expressed, both in the Old and New Testaments. And as I learn about the gentleness of this holy and redeeming God I love and serve, I understand that He means for me, as one who is made in His image*, to live this way as well. In learning about the gentleness of God, I am learning to live more gently with myself and, beyond ‘self’, with others.
I’d like to explore these truths more in future blogs, but for now I am enjoying the conversations with God as we walk and talk together each day. Hopefully I will be living a bit more gently as well, as the days go on.
*from W. Phillip Keller’s book, Taming Tension
*2 Corinthians 3:18
*Genesis 1:27; 5:1
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March 5, 2021 at 2:33 pm
Thank you for this, Susan. I have that book, too…somewhere. It’s been years since I read any in it, but your post prompts me to dig it out again. Thank you for sharing your conversations with Jesus!
March 8, 2021 at 3:07 am
Thank you for this encouragement! I’ve picked the book up more regularly now – it belongs in the category of ‘charming simple things’ and yet is filled with such great quotes. I wonder if some of the authors are even known by many today – Ingrid Trobisch and Phillip Keller, although he’s well known for his classic, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Such grace in these words, and needed in the world today.
March 5, 2021 at 9:06 pm
Beautiful reflection and reminders from God. Thank you for sharing. God ALWAYS uses your writings to speak to my heart directly. They are always words I need to hear.
March 8, 2021 at 3:09 am
Thank you, Deborah :^). Hearing from you always brings a smile to my day. I think what I do most is bring words from past authors into the living rooms of today (or wherever one is reading a blog). Someday, if our Lord allows, Louis and I will be with you in your living room to talk about life with Him :^).
March 5, 2021 at 10:29 pm
Good morning from Auckland, Susan 🌴 Your reflection reminds me of Eugene Peterson’s version of the end of Matt 11. I love rolling around in my mind the term and concept of ‘unforced rhythms of grace’. A beautiful and vivid expression, and something to hopefully prevent over-reaching.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 MSG
Every blessing for you both, and the IO.
❤
March 8, 2021 at 3:04 am
Thank you, Ainsley! I also love this version of Jesus’ words. “Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” And “unforced rhythms of grace” – there’s a lot in this one phrase. The “unforced” rolls around gently and sits restfully in the heart and mind. Thank you for sharing this.
March 7, 2021 at 8:04 am
Hi Susan, Have so appreciated your Living Gently reflection and would love to be on your mailing list for future reflections. It’s some years ago now since meeting you at Kwicon & although now retired I’m still involved with WEC as much as possible.
I would like to be added to you mailing list to receive any of your future reflections if that is possible.
With thanks & blessings in Christ
Irelle White
March 8, 2021 at 3:02 am
Hello Irelle, Thank you for this encouraging note :^). If you would like to receive notices of a new post, you can “subscribe” at the top right of this post. There’s a place for email addresses to subscribe. WordPress states that when an email address is submitted for this purpose, this is the only purpose they can be used for. Let me know if you find it otherwise!
March 24, 2021 at 3:55 pm
Dear Susan, I love your very thoughtful blogs – they slow me out of active into passive mode, making me think more deeply. I’m wondering if I can have permission to publish this one in a Christian magazine in the UK? I can’t see any copyright notice. Thank you.
March 25, 2021 at 12:27 am
Hi Anne, thank you for these words of encouragement and for your sensitivity to copyright. It’s a good question. There is an automatic copyright for wordpress bloggers even if no notice is given on the site. This is for any original created work on the blog (content or graphics/photos created by the blogger, etc). Thank you for asking since this does need permission from the writer for publishing elsewhere. I’m glad to give permission to publish this bog post on Living Gently in the magazine. Trusting our Lord will use it for encouragement to anyone who reads. Could you send me information on the magazine and when it’s published? That would be great. Thanks.
March 24, 2021 at 4:50 pm
Hello Susan, I love reading your reflective blogs, they always make me slow down and think. I’m wondering if I need permission to publish this article in a UK magazine? I didn’t see a copyright line. I’ve read your three books.. recommended by a friend of a German WEC missionary who had met you. God bless.
March 27, 2021 at 11:04 pm
Dear Susan, thank you for your kind and generous reply. The magazine name is FIRST(Matthew 6:33) and it’s the official magazine of the Faith Mission, an evangelistic mission in the rural areas of GB & Ireland (www.faithmission.org). I am not the editor of it but I’m presuming she will include it in the next issue which will be published towards the end of May. I’ve given her your response and asked her for the details. Thank you again.
March 31, 2021 at 7:39 am
Thank you, Anne, for even thinking of this. Blessings.