Do you want to get well?

On one faithful Saturday, Jesus was in Jerusalem for a Jewish festival. He was walking by a pool where there was all kinds of disabled people; people who had physical illnesses. Some were blind, some were lame and others were crippled. Jesus watched them for a while as each try to get into this pool because they believed that the first person to enter this pool of water will become well. Now there must have been some truth in this because most of these guys have been coming here for years and years and they must have witnessed some of their friends being healed otherwise they wouldn’t waste there precious time of which they could use to beg for money from the travelling pilgrims. Jesus watched all of this commotion and one guy in particular struck his attention. The guy hadn’t yet noticed Jesus until Jesus approached him.

Jesus being who He is, kind and compassionate and always with a view of his daddy’s business came to the man and asked him a simple question. The question Jesus asked is interesting  because there could only be one answer. Jesus asked the crippled guy, ‘Do you want to be well?’ ‘Of course’, the crippled man replied ‘but I have no one to help me into the water’. The man at this moment completely misunderstood what the means of how he was going to get well was but Jesus knew. It wasn’t going to be through the water but by the authoritative voice of Jesus’ word was how the man was going to get well. So Jesus said to the crippled man who was sitting on his mat to pick up his mat and walk. The man at this point must have thought ok; what do you mean, don’t you know I’m crippled. But the man did not linger in doubt but he immediately picked up his mat and walked for he believed in the words of Jesus. If the man had not believed he would have been unable to get up for doubt would have held him down on his mat but faith* caused him to rise and when he rose he was not disappointed. 

In the same way, we are all like the crippled man, for we have been crippled by our sins. And we believe that through entering a pool or through our own works that we can set ourselves free or gain acceptance with God or achieve a righteousness which is good enough. But like the crippled man we have a fundamental flaw in that we cannot put ourselves into the pool for we are crippled and unless someone carries us we shall remain in our condition. 

The bible says that we are all dead in our sins and trespasses; that we have all fallen below God’s standard and because of this failure we are all going to perish and serve an eternity in hell. God will be just and give us what we deserve for our wrongdoings, for our sickness of which we have brought upon ourselves. But God is kind and merciful, He is Loving and gracious.  Because He is Love, Jesus comes to us with the same question;  ‘Do you want to get well?’ we can respond in two ways. We can say yes or no. If we say yes, we have to put our faith in Jesus and live our lives for him. We have to actively forsake our ways and say Jesus I am willing to follow you and in doing that you will begin to feel the strength rising in your feet and feel His power working in you and joy will engulf your heart. But if you say no, then you will only remain where you are for there is no one else who will carry you and make you well.

So, if you are struggling with sin, Jesus has promised to set you free and you only need to trust him and rest upon him. Also, for many of us, we find the Christian life so hard because we fail to trust and believe in the simple words of Jesus. For example Jesus said that He will give us abundant of life; if we believe this then why do we go to the fountain of this world for pleasure rather than to Jesus? Also Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow; if we believe this then why do so many of us worry. Learn to trust the promises of God and all will be well with your Soul. 

K.Oni


* I am not making a general statement that all you need is faith and you are well all the time. Jesus raised lazarus who did not have a chance to respond in faith but because of the authoritative voice of Jesus, death left Lazarus immediately. Likewise healing can happen without an actual response of faith but by the generosity of God freely removing our sickness through His divine kindness. Also it is to be promoted that we are to act in faith, to walk and live by faith.