Do You Want To Be Made Well? (JustJeff

Do You Want To Be Made Well?

John 5:5-8
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “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.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

"Do you want to be made well?" That's a question for most of our society. We are a culture that cherishes our disabilities. Parental neglect, the impact of divorce, issues with authority figures; we always seem to be compensating for something in our past that has handicapped us emotionally. And it's not just people who are downtrodden. Many successful people use thier insecurity as fuel for their achievments, as if to prove something even if it's just to themselves.

"Do you want to be made well?" Like this man, I always have an excuse ready. There's always someone to blame. The timing hasn't been right - something always comes up to prevent my attempts. I think about my "cherished sins" (a term I got from Dr. Ted Roberts) - those thinks that I turn to momentarily relieve the pressure or pain I am facing, which in the long run keep me handicapped. And each time I hear Jesus asking me the real question - do you want to be well? It makes me wonder if we (as a culture) really want to be well. Our emotional handicaps and disabilities begin to shape so much of our identity, that while we hope to be whole, we can't see how it could happen outside of what we have already comitted to (e.g. "sitting by the pool, waiting for the waters to be stirred").

So Jesus says, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." My wholeness has less to do with the exten of my inability than it does with my obedience. This man at the pool wanted to be well. There was no more room or time for excuses. Vs. 9 says "immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked."

Lord, today I'm ready to walk away from what I thought was the answer for my infirmity. In obedience to your Your word, I will be well, and I will walk.

Posted by Jeff on May 7, 2003 12:00 AM | Permalink

Do You Want To Be Made Well?

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