Monday, September 29, 2008

Just like the man at the pool of Bethesda

I was reading in John 5 about the man at the pool of Betheseda. Here was a man who was unable to walk for 38 years, sitting by a pool waiting for a miracle. Hopeless at this point, and Jesus walks onto the scene. There was a great multitude of people in need of a healing and for whatever reason this man catches Jesus eye. A man, who didn't even know who Jesus was, catches His eye, and Jesus asks, "Do you want to be made well?" The man avoiding the question, answers with an excuse, "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." Jesus is there, able to heal and the man is missing it entirely, he is explaining to Jesus why a healing is just not possible for him. Jesus doesn't care, He doesn't care that the man doesn't know who He is, that the man doesn't know that He can heal him. There is no faith here, just straight mercy being offered to a hopeless soul. Jesus answers, "Rise, take up your bed and walk". And immediately the man was made well. I was so touched by this story as I often find myself as the man at the pool, stricken with sin, guilt searching for a way to redeem myself. Then for no reason, other than His great love and compassion, Jesus turns to me and says "Do you want to be made well?" and of course just like that man, I come up with all of my excuses of why I can't. Then He heals me, out of His great mercy I rise up out of my affliction and walk once again, no longer paralyzed by sin. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

1 comment:

melanie said...

We just talked about this as a family last week before their bedtime! We noticed the same thing! Jesus healed someone with no faith. Wow! His mercies are new every morning, Great is His faithfulness! Thanks for sharing. It was cool to read the same thing we talked about. It encouraged me to keep praying for those who have no faith. God's Spirit works in mysterious ways. I wonder how many others read the same passage and noticed the same thing last week. Wild... Cousin Melanie