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What Do You Mean; “Do I Want To Be Healed?”
Perhaps one of the strangest questions asked in Christ’s 33 years. Since 8 years before Jesus was born, this paralytic man laid beside this pool…waiting. As the angel stirs the waters, phrases such as “First one in is a rotten egg” were not heard around the Jerusalem poolside. The first one in was healed. For 38 long years this guy was slow on the draw.
So, Jesus showed up and asked this guy, “Do you want to be made well?” This seems like a loaded question. The man immediately replied, “OF COURSE!” Or, at least you would have thought that. He never said “yes.” Can you believe it, he never said “yes.” Instead he made excuses as to why he hadn’t made it in the pool.
We all lay by the pool of Bethesda at some point in our lives. Some of us lay there so long; we could qualify for residency there. Others are there on the diving board waiting for the first sign of bubbles.
The angel is over there stirring the water and we’re hanging out under the beach umbrellas sipping an iced tea. We lay there on our beach chairs discussing our miserable lives with other miserable humans. What’s wrong with you? Get next to the edge of the pool!
Is it the attention? When we are in need of emotional, spiritual or physical healing, someone tends to pay attention to us. Maybe we are lonely. We fear when we actually get better that no one will listen to us anymore. I’ve received more emails in the past week, than I have in the last month. Please don’t stop writing just because I confess this vulnerability.
Is it the lack of desire to get well? It takes work to receive healing. Do we want to do what it takes to get better? Do we want to do the counseling, the rehab, or the moral inventory? When you are healed, people will come to you and ask about your story. You will actually have to relive the hard times. Maybe this makes sense.
The ultimate question is do you want your circumstance to change? Or, is it easier just to live here by the pool? Healing is done. It was done on the cross 2,000 years ago when the phrase was uttered, “It is finished.”
For now, I stand next to the pool, looking for the first bubble to surface.
posted by Bart Phillips at 6:25 PM
2 Comments:
I haven't really suffered from a physical illness that would require "getting in the pool" but I have suffered sin sickness of which I cried out to be healed from, but then avoided the pool that would provide the cleansing, the healing.
I don't know why. Looking back I can only shake my head at my stubborn heart.
3:44 PM
I thought of you today and now I know why. Curious, a search led me to your blog. We went to school together at FWC & ACU. And it seems we have traveld down some of the same spiritual roads too.
A year ago I went to a retreat with my church. While attending a woman asked to pray for my uterus. I thought that was pretty weird but we want more kids so I said OK.
Three days later at a prescheduled routine exam a discovery was made that my uterus needed medical attention. I was pretty shook up.
I went thru reatment for 5 months. Each Sunday I went forward asking God to heal me. My body responded to the meds at first. Eventually a songram confirmed that surgery is needed. Surgery was scheduled for 2 days later. After my surgery my Doctor stood before and said, "Deana you got your miracle." My uterus was completely healthy.
God still does miracles. He even provided me with before and after pictures. I hope this is encouraging.
Believe! He is more than able.
Now that I have been thru this total strangers seem drawn to me and I have shared my story so many times and prayed for their healing. It is truly amazing to me.
1:59 AM
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