After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 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?” 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.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. (John 5:1-9 ESV)

Jesus asks a question in verse six, “Do you want to be healed?” Do you want to be healed?! Are you kidding me! You would think “Of course!”

The man receives this question from Jesus presumptively. He already has the solution in his mind. For healing to occur it requires him to enter the pool at a certain time, before the others. He has tunnel vision. He sees no other solution. How often do we pray with a solution in mind when God may have other plans?

Yet Jesus provides another way. “Get up, take your bed, and walk”. The man obeyed the command of Christ.

Question: What is Jesus requiring of you today?

Are we willing to do what it takes to be healed? Maybe a change in a long-term habit or behavior, breaking off a toxic relationship, etc. and importantly, are we willing to submit to making Jesus our LORD and Savior – LORD meaning we are no longer in charge of our lives: He is.

Later, Jesus encourages the man, in verse 14 (not printed above). He says, “See, you are well! Sin no more…”

Q: Are you grateful for what God has already done in your life, such that you will change, “go and sin no more” and conform your life to be more like Jesus?

God hears your prayers. Faith requires of us to follow him in our lives, submit to him and to allow him to be God, meaning to provide the outcome or solution he knows is best – which may be not what seems best in the present. He loves you and he is faithful to you. He will be there for you now and forever.