By Jim Mayhew
Christian Focus. 176 pages. £4.99
ISBN 1 85792 4983
We are rightly taught that we should not rest our assurance of salvation on our feelings, because our feelings are so unreliable and even sometimes downright inconsistent with good spiritual health. But what are right feelings for a Christian, and to whom do we turn for our example? To Jesus Christ! How strange, then, that so little has been written on this aspect of our Lord's life and experience!
Jim Mayhew has begun to fill the gap. It is a vast subject, but has compressed much easily-read, thoroughly biblical material into a small space.
The chapter headings indicate that our Lord knew what it meant to be enthusiastic, compassionate, angry, rejected, lonely, under stress, like nothing on earth ('he emptied himself'), tempted, dependent, relaxed. These themes are handled with reverence and clarity and helpful application.
My reformed, non-charismatic eyes blinked once or twice, but I still enjoyed the book and gladly recommend it. If there is a reprint, perhaps some attention could be paid to the translated 'deeply moved' (John 11.33, 38 NIV). This is mentioned on page 35, but it merits fuller treatment.
I began reading this book thinking how wonderful it is that Jesus had feelings like mine. I ended it by thinking: 'So that is how I should feel, and could do so with the Holy Spirit's help'. Thank you, Jim Mayhew!
