Our Misgivings About Jesus

The woman said to Him, ’Sir, You have nothing to draw [water] with, and the well is deep’ —John 4:11

Have you ever said to yourself, “I am impressed with the wonderful truths of God’s Word, but He can’t really expect me to live up to that and work all those details into my life!” When it comes to confronting Jesus Christ on the basis of His qualities and abilities, our attitudes reflect religious superiority. We think His ideals are lofty and they impress us, but we believe He is not in touch with reality— that what He says cannot actually be done. Each of us thinks this about Jesus in one area of our life or another. These doubts or misgivings about Jesus begin as we consider questions that divert our focus away from God. While we talk of our dealings with Him, others ask us, “Where are you going to get enough money to live? How will you live and who will take care of you?” Or our misgivings begin within ourselves when we tell Jesus that our circumstances are just a little too difficult for Him. We say, “It’s easy to say, ’Trust in the Lord,’ but a person has to live; and besides, Jesus has nothing with which to draw water— no means to be able to give us these things.” And beware of exhibiting religious deceit by saying, “Oh, I have no misgivings about Jesus, only misgivings about myself.” If we are honest, we will admit that we never have misgivings or doubts about ourselves, because we know exactly what we are capable or incapable of doing. But we do have misgivings about Jesus. And our pride is hurt even at the thought that He can do what we can’t.

My misgivings arise from the fact that I search within to find how He will do what He says. My doubts spring from the depths of my own inferiority. If I detect these misgivings in myself, I should bring them into the light and confess them openly— “Lord, I have had misgivings about You. I have not believed in Your abilities, but only my own. And I have not believed in Your almighty power apart from my finite understanding of it.”

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對耶穌的低估

先生沒有打水的器具。 （約四11）

[神所說的一切奇妙我很欽仰，但他休想我能在生活裡真正行出來！ ]論到主耶穌本身的美德，往往叫我們有一種敬虔的優越感。 [你的理想甚高，令我們心悅誠服，但一涉及實際事物，就行不通了。 ]我們各人對耶穌或多或少總有這樣的想法。當我們向人講說與神立約，人家會好奇地問：[你的錢從哪裡來？你怎麼應付生活？ ]因而使我們對耶穌發生質疑。有時這種疑慮會發自我們本身，對主說這件事他也許難以應付。 [說信靠主是不錯的，但人總要生活的啊，耶穌連打水的器具也沒有，他怎樣供應我們？ ]你要留心裡面那敬虔的虛偽說：[我不怪主耶穌，只怪自己。 ]人從來不會怪責自己；我們無能為力的地方，自己知得很清楚，但不滿意主得卻很多。對他能做而我們所不能的，我們會覺得有損自尊。

當我省察自己，才發現神對任何事物都能應付自如，這樣，不滿就油然而生，因為我的自卑感在作祟。若真的是這樣，要來到神面前承認：[主，我對你有誤會，我未能放下自己，去信任你的智慧；我沒有離開自我的悟性，去相信你的全能。 ]

祈禱◆噢，主啊，我懷著何等的釋然投向你。我對你的需要真是數之不盡，而在那奇異的釋放和喜樂中，我發現我所需要的，就只有你。