Do You Want to . . . ?

Today's Bible Reading: JOHN 5:1-47; MARK 2:23-3-6; MATTHEW 12:1-21;LUKE 6:1-11

John 5:6

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?”

Jesus poses an intriguing question to a lame man. He asks, “Do you want to be healed?” It is strange that He would ask this man this question at this location. At this particular site “a multitude” of afflicted and ill people congregated in hopes of being healed. They waited there for the angel to stir the water In hopes that they might be the first one to get in and experience its healing effects. Their hope was in the healing waters. This particular man had been waiting by the water to be healed for 38 years, but every time it stirred he couldn’t make it to the water in time to be healed.

So the question of Jesus was ironic. It would be like asking starving people if they wanted food. But the question really got to the essence of his desire. It struck at the source of his striving. It hit at the center of his concern. It spoke to the hope of his healing. He thought he could do this on his own, or at least get an able bodied person to help him.

His hope was in his ability. It was in his own action. Yet it always fell short. He couldn’t do it. He was incapable of attaining the cure. His heart desired it, but his condition preventing it. His response to Jesus was, “I’ve tried, but can’t.”

Jesus provides his solution. This man’s incapacity was met by Jesus’ capability. He couldn’t but Jesus could. It is not in what the man can do, but in what Jesus could do for the man. He summons the man to get up and walk. He asked Him to do what for years he had been trying to do. But here his focus was shifted from belief in the stirring waters to belief in the beckoning Savior. The object of his faith moved from what the coming angel could do to what the creator of angels would do.

Thirty eight years of disappointment and thousands of attempts to be healed all culminated in this decisive moment. He had to decide to either continue just laying as he had been or put his confidence in Jesus. He had to choose between the possibility of being healed one day or being healing that day. He chose Jesus. He was healed that day.

This parallels our spiritual path. We like this man are incapable of spiritual transformation. We are unable through personal effort to attain salvation. Our iniquities have rendered us incapacitated. Our sinful condition keeps us in check. Striving to be better or do better can’t eradicate the problem. In every attempt, in every way we fall short. Yet like this man, Jesus is our hope of healing. He is compelling us to believe Him. He is challenging us to put aside our own attempts to gain our own salvation and put our confidence in Him to secure it for us. He is asking “Do you want to be healed?” He is calling you to put your trust in Him to do what we can’t.

Today thank the Lord that He saved you. Thank Him that you wanted a new life in Christ. Praise Him that you responded to His calling by trusting in Jesus as your only Lord and Savior. Ask Him to help you live like you've His. Ask Him to help those who still sit "waiting for the waters to stir" to put their faith in Jesus to lift them up for their despairing and depraved state to find the hope of redemption in Him.