John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
When I was in college, a friend of mine was paraplegic. When someone prayed for his healing, he was not healed. He was accused of not having enough faith. I disagreed with that assessment of the situation. However, I find in my own life I tend to think that if I prayed more consistently, believed a little more, and worked a lot harder then my emotional, physical, my work and ministry problems would go away. In other words, I think I tend to think it is all on me.
Yesterday I was reading about the sick man by the well in John 5. He was sick for 38 years. It seems like he was hoping for a magical cure if someone would just help him into the pool. Jesus asks, “Do you want to get well?” The man’s answer seems more like an excuse. At best he just doesn’t have the awareness in the moment to say exactly what he wants. It definitely wasn’t one of those demonstrations of faith that Jesus affirms in other places in the gospels. And yet, Jesus heals him.
What a great reminder that life with Jesus doesn’t start with me. Life with Jesus is not totally dependent on me. Emotional, spiritual, and physical healing isn’t about me figuring out the right words to say, sins to confess, or principles to apply. Life with Jesus is first and foremost dependent on Him. He is the great healer and transformer of lives. He knows all our needs before we even ask Him.
Let’s pray together.
Jesus, thank You for holding me together by the word of Your power. My life is in You. I acknowledge that You are the prime mover in our relationship. I come to You for rest for my soul. Bring healing into life in those places that I am not even aware of. Heal my hurts I refuse to acknowledge. Bring transformation to those things I have asked for many times. Help my unbelief. In Jesus Name.
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I struggled for awhile with the amount of my contribution to the building campaign. I thought that reaching the goal depended on me. I felt pressure-not from the staff or elders but from myself. How foolish to think that raising $12MM was dependent on me?! Once I realized that it was not my responsibility but God's, I could freely give as I was led. It is a relief to know that it is not dependent on me.
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