One of the dominate images of the eternal Christ is a ‘Slain Lamb.’ As the eternal Slain Lamb, Jesus reminds us of the tenderness of God’s heart, and the sacrificial and self giving nature of His love.
One of the consequences of lingering in the presence of The Lord is that, as we marinate in His tenderness realm, our own hearts begins to change. In His tenderness realm our hearts begin to tenderize towards others, and a desire to give ourselves away sacrificially begins to emerge. Little by little kindness, mercy, and compassion starts to flow like a river from some transformed place deep within us. Impatience, insecurity, and the fear of rejection begin to crumble and melt away, and tenderness gently fills your soul, while grace starts pouring from your lips.
We often hear about walking in self-giving love, but apart from a tenderized heart it just becomes another unsustainable activity that comes from sincere self-effort. While lingering in His presence, our rigid hearts melt into the river of His delights, and the delight of love comes forth, and becomes our resting place.