0227 耶穌的貧困事工
井又深，禰從哪裡得活水呢？《約翰福音 4:11》
「這井很深」——甚至比撒瑪利亞婦人所知道的還要深得多！（約翰福音 4:11）。思考人性和人類生活的深處；想想你裡面「井」的深度。你是否一直在限制或削弱耶穌的事工，到一種祂無法在你的生活中工作的程度？假設你的心裡有一口深深的傷害和煩惱的「井」，耶穌來對你說：「你心裡不要憂愁……。」（約翰福音14:1）。你的反應是否會聳聳肩說：「但是，主啊，這井太深，即使禰也無法從中汲取寧靜和安慰」？事實上，那是正確的。耶穌並不從人性的源泉中帶出任何東西——祂從上面把它們帶下來。我們透過只記得過去我們允許祂為我們做的事情，並且透過說「當然，我不能指望神做這件事」，我們限制了以色列的聖者。接近祂能力極限的事，正是我們作為耶穌的門徒應該相信祂會做的事。我們忘記祂是全能神之時，就是我們削弱祂在我們身上的事工之時。貧窮是在我們身上，而不是在祂身上。我們會來到耶穌面前，讓祂成為我們的安慰者或同情者，但我們卻避免親近身為我們全能神的祂。
我們中某些人之所以是基督徒如此糟糕的榜樣，是因為我們沒有認識到基督是全能的。我們有基督徒的特質和經歷，但沒有舍己或降服於耶穌基督。當我們陷入困境時，我們透過說「當然，祂對此無能為力」，我們使祂的事工貧瘠。我們努力掙扎到達自己的井底，試圖為自己取水。小心不要袖手旁觀並說：「這是不可能的。」如果你仰望耶穌，你就會知道這是可以做到的。你的不完整之井是非常的深，但要努力將目光從自己身上移開並轉過去看祂。
來自章伯斯的智慧
如果你沒有過信仰生活，要謹防對信仰生活做出任何裁決。《不知往何處去》
0227 The Impoverished Ministry of Jesus
Where then do You get that living water? —John 4:11
“The well is deep” — and even a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew! (John 4:11). Think of the depths of human nature and human life; think of the depth of the “wells” in you. Have you been limiting, or impoverishing, the ministry of Jesus to the point that He is unable to work in your life? Suppose that you have a deep “well” of hurt and trouble inside your heart, and Jesus comes and says to you, “Let not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:1). Would your response be to shrug your shoulders and say, “But, Lord, the well is too deep, and even You can’t draw up quietness and comfort out of it.” Actually, that is correct. Jesus doesn’t bring anything up from the wells of human nature— He brings them down from above. We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering only what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past, and also by saying, “Of course, I cannot expect God to do this particular thing.” The thing that approaches the very limits of His power is the very thing we as disciples of Jesus ought to believe He will do. We impoverish and weaken His ministry in us the moment we forget He is almighty. The impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus for Him to be our comforter or our sympathizer, but we refrain from approaching Him as our Almighty God.
The reason some of us are such poor examples of Christianity is that we have failed to recognize that Christ is almighty. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment or surrender to Jesus Christ. When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying, “Of course, He can’t do anything about this.” We struggle to reach the bottom of our own well, trying to get water for ourselves. Beware of sitting back, and saying, “It can’t be done.” You will know it can be done if you will look to Jesus. The well of your incompleteness runs deep, but make the effort to look away from yourself and to look toward Him.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Beware of pronouncing any verdict on the life of faith if you are not living it. –Not Knowing Whither, 900 R