Notice the order. He does not say “be perfect” first, but rather, “I am the ALMIGHTY GOD.” We can almost hear people say, “Come on now, you’re asking for the impossible.” But when you get the thing in perspective—that is, it is the Almighty God who is speaking—what seems so impossible for us is not impossible any longer. But it is possible only as we have our sights set on Him. It is what Paul said: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Don’t get accustomed to saying, “I can’t,” when it is something that you know the Lord asks us to do. Just look to Him in all your insufficiency and find just how sufficient He is.
This was the instruction from the mother of Jesus to the servants at the wedding feast. How often we want to understand something before we do it. But here it was simple obedience that was important. We may want to stop and question ourselves whether we understand properly what He says, but once it is clear, there is only one path for faith—pure, simple obedience, leaving the results with Him. They might have thought it quite futile to fill those containers with that much water, when what they needed was wine. But they not only did it, they also drew from the stone pots and took to the governor of the feast. The result was better than anybody could have imagined. “But thou hast kept the good wine until now” (John 2:1010And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. (John 2:10)).
R. Thonney