Rise, Take Up Your Bed, And Walk
Rise, Take Up Your Bed, And Walk
Near Jerusalem, just outside the city, there was a body of water believed to possess healing power. It was here that an angel would supposedly come down and stir the water in this pool. The first person to enter the water afterward would be healed of whatever ailed them (see John 5:4 KJV).
Naturally, this was a popular place especially for “…a great number of disabled people…—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed” (John 5:3 NIV). Among those gathered, was a man who had been dealing with his particular affliction for 38 years. 38 years!
Around the time of a festival in Jerusalem, Jesus journeyed to this area. Here, Jesus encountered this man who had been afflicted for such a long time.
Do You Want to Change?
Upon meeting this man, Jesus recognized that he was in need of healing, but first asked the man if he wanted to be healed (see John 5:6). “Of course he’d want to be healed!” one might think. However, it’s a very fair question.
It can be difficult for people to leave what they know sometimes. Also, sometimes people are more comfortable with the misery they know than taking the necessary steps to bring the blessed relief.
Have you ever known something in your life needed to change and perhaps even talked to others about that thing needing to change or be different (the dead-end relationship, the miserable job, the horrible living situation, the bad habit, etc.) but did not take necessary steps to actually change anything?
Yes, But...
The man responded that he did want to be healed, but no one would help him into the water. In essence, he was saying that he wanted his affliction to be gone, but didn’t see how it could be possible other than through the idea that he had thought was the way to be made whole.
In so doing, he was limiting what was possible to only his own idea of what was possible. He created the parameters surrounding the place from which he believed God could operate. (Hello conditioned self.)
Have you ever done this? Made excuses? Waited for someone else to help you? Blamed others for your situation or circumstances? Or have you recognized a change needed to be made and tried to do something, but the “how” that you thought of just didn’t work?
Immeasurably More
Jesus’ response? “…Rise, take up thy bed, and walk” (John 5:8).
Rise: Move out and away from the problem, circumstance, situation, etc. Emerge.
Take up thy bed: That thing that used to serve you no longer does. Roll it up so that you don’t go back to it and just lay back down there when things are tough.
Walk: Go forth. Trust and believe that things are different so that they can be.
And IMMEDIATELY, the man was made whole, took up his bed and walked (see John 5:9).
Excuses.
Blaming Others.
Thinking you have to figure it all out on your own.
“…all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT).
