I had to lead some prayers yesterday and the LORD led me to John 5. I can’t remember how many times i have read this passage, and yet, my eyes still managed to spot a few gems.
Jn 5:1-9, “… Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids--blind, lame, and paralyzed waiting for the moving of the water; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 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?" 7 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." 8 Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.”
There was a multitude of sick around the pool; but Jesus only healed one of them. Firstly, this explodes the myth according to which Jesus healed all the sick; delivered all the demon-possessed and raised all the dead that He encountered. Had He done this, there would have been no one for the apostles to heal in a long while. See the lame man in front of the temple (Ac 3). He had been begging there for years. Therefore, Jesus, who was a regular temple-goer, had passed in front of him countless times without ever doing anything. Think about this… This means that someone can find themselves in a place which is visited by Jesus on a daily or weekly basis, without ever being touched; without experiencing any miracle. Why? I will come back to it; but in the meantime, I pray that this will never be your portion in Jesus Name!
Secondly, this guy did not do anything special to cause Jesus to turn specifically to him. Verse 13 lets us understand that he did not even know who was talking to him. Indeed, if he had known who Jesus was, instead of answering a simple question with too much grammar, he would have simply shouted, like Bartimeus: « Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” So, it was not even because of his ‘great’ faith that he was healed; Jesus simply decided to show him mercy. It was the day of visitation and salvation for this man. May it be the same for you, in Jesus Name!
Lastly, the miraculous healing of this man had no impact whatsoever on the rest of the sick! I discovered this yesterday and I was shocked. There are people who can witness any manner of miracles; or hear any kind of testimonies, for nothing. It does not affect them. Remember, last week’s posting? Miracles are not enough. It’s unbelievable. When this man got up, carrying his mat/bed; immediately, the people across or beside him should have jumped on the opportunity to be healed right there, without having to wait for the angel and run for their lives; shouldn’t they have? They should have surrounded Jesus at once and begged Him to heal them as well. But none of this happened. They were more concerned about the fact that the guy was carrying his bed on a Sabbath day! Their hearts were so hardened that I understand why there was only one man who was healed in the midst of such a multitude of sick. Remember Nazareth; there as well, Jesus only performed a few miracles, because of the hardening of their hearts (i.e. incredulity, unbelief). I pray that this will never be your portion. I pray that you have a faith-filled and receptive heart. I pray that the LORD never passes you by, in Jesus Name!
Have a great week in CHRIST JESUS.
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