In John 5:1-18, Jesus encounters a man who had been ill for 38 years sitting by a pool of water reported to have healing powers. Jesus, realizing that the man had been by the pool for quite a while, asks him simply, "Do you want to be made well?"
In response, the man tells Jesus why he cannot he made well at the pool - he is too slow, and no one will help him. Jesus tells him to put aside this excuse and to take up his mat and walk. Miraculously, the man does not argue that he can't do it. He simply obeys and he is healed.
There are those around them that are upset by this act. They shame the man for working on the Sabbath by carrying his mat, and they charge Jesus with working on the Sabbath by healing this man in need.
Sometimes we recognize our need to improve our physical health - lose weight, maintain our diabetes, or quit using tobacco - or spiritual health - pray or read the Bible more, serve our neighbors, or learn to trust in grace. The obstacles to overcome, however, can seem overwhelming. As happens to the man by the pool, something "always" gets in our way. We are too busy, too tired, too whatever to follow through. At times, it seems that the world conspires against us to make us fail in our best attempts just as the world argued against this man's healing because it was on the Sabbath. The world seems to tell us we are not good enough to succeed and that it is not worth the effort. It is easy to give in to these internal reasons and excuses and these external messages and pressures.
And yet Jesus is there asking us the question, "Do you want to be made well?" Dare we too leave the excuses and pressures behind to take up our mats and walk?
Thoughts to ponder: What excuses stand in the way of your taking charge of your physical and spiritual well-being? What messages do you hear from the world that stand in the way? Are you content with your current level of well-being? Do you want to be made well?
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