Monday Sept. 21
A feast of the Jews was happening in the City of David. And as the Jewish law required all men to attend, Jesus traveled to Jerusalem, coming upon a pool located near the sheep gate called Bethesda; meaning “house of mercy”, or “house of grace”. It consisted of two pools surrounded by covered walkways in which laid, “a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered”. (vs. 5:3) At certain times an angel of the Lord would go into the pool and stir up the water. The first person to enter the water after it was stirred, would receive healing from their affliction. Now as you can imagine people came from all around to play this "healing lottery", each vying to be the first one in. It was there that the Lord encountered a man who had been suffering with an illness for 38 years. “When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, ‘Do you wish to get well’?”
At first I thought, “What a silly thing for Jesus to ask. Of course the man wished to get well!" But after reading the man's response, I began to understand why Jesus asked the seemingly odd question. He tells the Lord, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” (vs. 5:7) Think about that for a minute. Like clockwork for almost four decades, this sick man kept returning to the pool on his own, with no chance of being the first one in. Now wouldn't you think that after awhile it would occur to him to try something new? Maybe get there a little earlier, or pay someone for help. How could he honestly expect different results from doing the same thing over and over? So as Jesus asked, did he really wish to get well after all? And I have to tell you as soon as that question popped into my mind, God put in my heart how that man and myself have more in common then I care to admit.
I can’t tell you the countless times the words, “I wish” have passed over my lips. 'I wish I was healthier. I wish I was more organized. I wish I was more intentional. I wish, I wish, I wish." And like the man at Bethesda, instead of taking action to change my circumstances, I keep doing the same things while expecting different results. Whether it be through repeating destructive patterns, wallowing in self pity, or lack of personal accountability, I too have found myself by the edge of the pool waiting for healing.
In my case, the paralysis I feel isn't a body problem but rather a heart problem. I've never done well with change. It's painful and causes me fear. It's more comfortable to stay stuck on my mat, making my troubles part of my identity rather than to let them go. For letting go means letting go of control over my life. It means setting aside the excuses, becoming accountable, and working hand in hand with the Lord for the healing I desperately desire. And it means having complete faith in God and His ability to get me off that mat, and freed from my afflictions; including those self induced.
No matter who we are, each of us at different times in our lives need the healing that only God can provide. The man at the pool of Bethesda was just one of many hoping for a miracle that day. And he received it through the compassion of Jesus. Christ offered this man grace and mercy, and He offers it to us as well. Our Lord wants no one to suffer in sickness and so He shed His precious blood to become our perfect path to healing. “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.” (Matt. 8:17) Whether the healing we need is physical, emotional, spiritual, or all three, Jesus not only provides deliverance from our troubles, but also peace, hope, and joy. So if you find yourself, like me, at the edge of the pool lying on your mat wondering when your healing will come, be proactive. Pray, trust, believe, and be ready to put in the work for change when Jesus asks, "Do you wish to be well?'
