Devotional Day 14

Worship

As you enter into Gods rest today, I encourage you to listen to “Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury.

Scripture

John 5:1-17

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralysed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

Devotional

This account of Jesus healing the man at the pool in Bethesda has always struck me. For many reasons.

For 38 years this man was waiting to be healed, and as it turns out, it seems he had hope for healing. There was a local legend that this pool was stirred up by angels, when it bubbled up those who were weak in their body, (invalid means weakness), the blind, lame and paralysed would quickly make their way into the pool to be healed. But when the days turned into weeks, and the weeks months, and the months into decades this man lived a lifetime by this pool and had all but given up hope. So much so that I can imagine his entire understanding of who he was had become about his weakness, the other invalids around him, and life at this pool.

That is until one day a man came by, who didn’t even give his name, and asked him ‘do you want to be healed’.

What a direct question! Some today would definitely call it insensitive!

‘Why else would I be here’ he must’ve wanted to say, and yet Jesus saw beyond this mans words and deep into his heart, just like he does with us. Just because you are in the right place for healing, doesn’t mean that your heart is still open to it. How many people show up to church every Sunday, and never ask for prayer, or go to small group every week and never share their need. Or even read their bible most mornings, but have slowly closed their heart to the Lord.

Jesus could see that this man had all but given up hope and had begun to identify with his weakness, he had quietly quit, slumped into his corner and no longer got up when the pool was stirred. This can be the case for any of us who struggle with an illness, wounds or addiction for a very long time. Its hard to maintain faith, we can find ourselves stop praying with conviction and faith, or stop waging war on sin, and end up giving in and allowing the addiction or sickness to become a part of who we are.

As for the man by the pool, it definitely seems as though he had given up on himself and on God, and yet, Jesus had not given up on him. It took 38 years for this man to lose hope, but a single moment in Jesus’ presence to have his whole world transformed. Even after making some excuses, and not answering Jesus’ question, the man hears Jesus’ love and compassion cut through his weary heart with the words ‘get up, take up your mat and walk’. And he did.

Today, no matter how long its been, no matter how long you’ve struggled with addiction, see Jesus standing in front of you, the offer of healing and power is in his outstretched hand as he says ‘I haven’t given up on you’, ‘its time to get up, and be free’.

Prayer

Spend time in prayer today for eyes to see him, for hope and healing. Reach out your hand and grasp his in faith today and ask Jesus to give you freedom from sin and whatever else is weighing your heart. Spend time again listening to the voice of your shepherd Jesus as he leads you through your day today.