Man at the Bethesda Pool

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him,“Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. - John 5:1-8

One of my favorite stories from the bible is the story of the man at the Bethesda pool. For some reason whenever I read this story, Its like I'm being brought back to the first day I experienced God. Its such a beautiful story of miracle and healing, one that would really touch a reader's heart.

But how many of us can really relate to him? I mean, if we come to think of it, we are all sick aren't we? maybe not in a physical, but in a spiritual and emotional sense. Hopelessness, depression, shame, insecurity, coldness, deadness, a lack of life and feeling in the soul. We are all just like this man. We are lame and paralyzed on the inside. We are desperate and in need of a miracle.

In the passage, it says that a great number of disabled people gathers at this pool, because they believed that the water will give them healing. It's been said that an "Angel" stirs the water and when it does, only the person who first touches the water will be healed. This man was determined, he is lame but he tried. However, somebody always gets to the water first and there he was, for thirty-eight years waited for his turn to touch the water.

Reading that part of the story saddens me. I can't help but feel sorry for the poor guy. Know why? because for 38 long years, he waited on the wrong miracle.

Long before I have known the Lord, I was just like that man. Lame, paralyzed by fear, insecurity, depression, and many other things. I was dead on the inside. Yes I can be happy for a while, but I never had a complete joy in my heart. And for quite a long time too, I have waited to get a miracle. A miracle to help me get out of my misery. And Just like him, I have tried to reach out to the waters and wait for my turn to touch it, which I thought could heal me, however I could never reach it. I can't help but feel hopeless. Until later on I realized, I was waiting for the wrong miracle.

1. The real healing and miracle is Jesus. We can all relate to this story because this is how our spiritual life looks like. We are lame, paralyzed, hopeless, and almost dead, until Jesus steps in to our misery and offers life to us. That's exactly what happened to him. And the best part is, he didn't need to crawl his way to his miracle, simply because it was Jesus who came to him, offered His hand and gave him his healing, his miracle.

You see, that's the beauty of God's grace. Wrong miracles forces us into believing that there's a step by step process so we can get out of our hopelessness. Like there's always a "religious work" we need to do so we can finally touch that water and reach our cure. But God's way was never like that. A miracle that comes from the Lord is Jesus' hand, offered to us freely. Because grace is free, not earned. You don't need to crawl your way, to this spiritual healing nor you don't need to earn it because it's impossible for a "lame person" to do it, right? I mean, how can you get out of hopelessness and depression? shame and guilt? You can't. because getting out of it is beyond your reach. Unless someone gives a hand and pulls you out of the pit of despair, you cannot do it by yourself.

Some actually have tried a lot of things to get out of it, religious ways to be healed emotionally and spiritually, but my dear friend, let me tell you that you are reaching out on the wrong thing. You see, when a person has cancer, you do not tell the person to drink a medicine for fever, right? The same way with spriitual sickness. You cannot get out of it by being religious, that's the truth about it. The bible did not say that's the cure. Sure, It may make you feel peaceful for a while, but it will never completely cure your heart. Believe me, I too have tried. Religion teaches us that it is man reaching to God. So we try to crawl our way to our cure. But true Christianity teaches us that it was God, who went down to our level and reached out to us.

Christianity is simple. Admit to the Lord that you are sick, and you cannot do anything to be healed. Completely surrender your heart because none of the things you did ever worked. And when you do surrender, Like the man at the Bethesda pool, reach out to Jesus' hand and hold it. Everyday is a chance. It is offered to you freely, and your real cure is not those waters which people say would heal you, but your real cure is in Him. Do not harden your heart. Accept Jesus' hand. Relationship with the Lord, not religion. Love, not religious work. Do not miss this opportunity to be truly healed.

2. So when Jesus stepped in, he gave a command to the man at the pool. He said, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." Ever wondered why Jesus did not say something like "Get up! go to your family and be happy?" Jesus was specific. Pick up your mat. Because you are not going back!

In the middle of our our misery, when Jesus steps in, offers his hand to us and we completely surrender to Him, He would say.. "My son/daughter, you are healed from depression, hopelessness, shame and guilt." When He says this, we are indeed healed and free from these things. But problem is, most of us leaves our mat, and of course whatever you left behind, you would still go back to. You have to believe my friend once Jesus heals you, you are not going back! You are healed, and free. Your flesh may try to dictate you time and again that you are still that miserable person that you were once before. But believe me, you are not the same person anymore. You have been purchased by the blood of Jesus. You may feel weak, but you are strong. Because God's power is made perfect in your weakness. And you are free from the slavery hopelessness, despair, guilt, shame, because the word of the Lord says that "If the son sets you free, you will be free indeed"- John 8:36 This is God's truth, and we should believe the truth. So Get up, PICK UP YOUR MAT and walk!

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, Thank you for speaking the truth in my heart. I humbly admit that my heart is sick, and I am hopeless and almost dead on the inside. But now I know that Jesus is my real cure the miracle that I've been waiting for. Thank you Lord because unlike the pool at Bethesda, Your hand is never beyond my reach. In fact, Your hand is ready to give me the healing that I need at this very moment. Ready to save me from my sin and my misery. I am ready now Jesus, to Get up, pick up my mat and walk. And when you heal me, I am not going back. Thank you Lord for your grace that's never ending. May you always cover my heart with your truth.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

"...At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked." - John 5:8

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