The Heart of Jesus: How He Really Feels about You by Mark Jones is a deeply devotional and theologically rich meditation on the affections of Christ toward His people. Drawing from Scripture, classic Reformed theology, and pastoral wisdom, Jones helps believers understand not just what Jesus has done for them, but how He feels about themespecially in their weakness, sin, and suffering.
In a culture where many Christians intellectually affirm God's love but live as though they must constantly earn it, this book offers a profoundly comforting corrective. Inspired by the Christ-centered pastoral theology of Puritans like Thomas Goodwin and John Owen, Jones presents a portrait of Jesus that is tender, approachable, and full of mercy. He emphasizes that Jesus is not a distant Savior who merely tolerates His people, but one who delights in them, sympathizes with their struggles, and actively draws near with compassion.
Each chapter explores different facets of Christs heartHis gentleness, His patience, His humility, His joy in His people, and His role as a faithful High Priest. Jones does not water down biblical truth or sentimentalize Gods love; instead, he brings together doctrinal precision and emotional depth. He explores difficult theological themes like wrath, judgment, and holiness, but always brings them back to the central truth: that Christs love is covenantal, unchanging, and deeply personal.
One of the books greatest strengths is its pastoral tone. Jones writes as someone who understands the doubts, fears, and wounds believers carry. He addresses readers who feel distant from God, burdened by guilt, or unsure of Christs affection. Through biblical exposition and gospel encouragement, he repeatedly points readers back to the reality that Jesus is gentle and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29)not only in theory, but in His ongoing ministry to us today.
The Heart of Jesus is ideal for personal devotion, small groups, or pastoral counseling. It will resonate especially with those who appreciated Dane Ortlunds Gentle and Lowly or Sinclair Fergusons writings on union with Christ. Ultimately, this book aims not just to inform the mind, but to warm the heart, drawing readers into deeper communion with the Savior who loves them more tenderly than they dare imagine.
