John 5:1-9
The Healing at the Pool
1Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.[b] 5One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When 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?"
7"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."
8Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
Spiritual Initiative
In his February 16 entry in the book My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers talks about “spiritual initiative” from God. As Oswald Chambers states, “God does not give us overcoming life; He gives us life as we overcome.”
When I read this devotional, I was reminded of the story in John 5 regarding the invalid sitting by the pool. In this context, “invalid” meant weakness, illness, infirmity – essentially one with disease or sickness; a cripple. In my mind, I hear Jesus’ voice to the invalid filled with intense spiritual initiative. “Do you WANT to get well???” Perhaps others hear it very differently and I hear it as the Lord needs me to hear it. As I need the initiative.
Spiritual Initiative
In his February 16 entry in the book My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers talks about “spiritual initiative” from God. As Oswald Chambers states, “God does not give us overcoming life; He gives us life as we overcome.”
When I read this devotional, I was reminded of the story in John 5 regarding the invalid sitting by the pool. In this context, “invalid” meant weakness, illness, infirmity – essentially one with disease or sickness; a cripple. In my mind, I hear Jesus’ voice to the invalid filled with intense spiritual initiative. “Do you WANT to get well???” Perhaps others hear it very differently and I hear it as the Lord needs me to hear it. As I need the initiative.
In response, I hear the invalid’s voice with my tone of voice when I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning; whining, tired, “Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Jesus responds, (maybe yells?), “ GET UP!!! Pick up your mat and walk!” The Bible says “At once” the man was cured, fixed, healed. At once, the invalid, crippled, diseased, weak, ill man picked up his mat and stood up and walked away for the first time in THIRTY EIGHT YEARS.
After Thirty Eight Years this man stood up and walked away from this spot where he had festered and perhaps even allowed himself to curl up into a cocoon of self centered lack of initiative, spiritual or otherwise.
After Thirty Eight Years this man stood up and walked away from this spot where he had festered and perhaps even allowed himself to curl up into a cocoon of self centered lack of initiative, spiritual or otherwise.
Jesus came along already knowing this man’s heart and story. “Do you want to get well?!?!?!” I see exclamation points and extra question marks when I hear Him. Often when He asks me: “Elizabeth, Do You Want To Get Well? GET UP! Take your medicine, drink some water, eat a banana. Better yet, Read My Word! Talk to Me! Rest, Seek Peace and Joy.”
Some of us live Thirty Eight years or longer as walking, talking invalids, not as one lying around a healing pool waiting to be lowered into it. We walk with our hearts broken, our fists clenched and our stomachs tightened. If by chance above that noise we hear Jesus say, through the voice of another or through the Holy Spirit, “Do you want to get well?” Our heart or fists or stomach may give an excuse like the invalid – “I have no on to help me into the pool.”
Some of us live Thirty Eight years or longer as walking, talking invalids, not as one lying around a healing pool waiting to be lowered into it. We walk with our hearts broken, our fists clenched and our stomachs tightened. If by chance above that noise we hear Jesus say, through the voice of another or through the Holy Spirit, “Do you want to get well?” Our heart or fists or stomach may give an excuse like the invalid – “I have no on to help me into the pool.”
But Jesus knows, and tells us now – He provides us with Spiritual Initiative. As Oswald Chambers put it “Buck Up!” Jesus says something different to each of us, I believe He speaks to some of us now.
Hearts Broken
Perhaps we did this to ourselves…for Twenty Eight years. We hurt, ashamed by past decision, recollections of things done or undone. Our hearts ache. When Christ says gently to us and our broken hearts, “Do you want to get well?” We often act with unworthy, shameful attitudes, “I cannot get well, there is no one to fix such a black, hard heart that hurts so much it almost no longer feels. We reject the idea that getting “well” is even within our grasp for who could love such a broken creature. Or perhaps, we lie and say we’re fine, we’ve mostly moved on and forgiven ourselves for stupid decisions and errors, for nights barely remembered. No need for redemption.
Hearts Broken
Perhaps we did this to ourselves…for Twenty Eight years. We hurt, ashamed by past decision, recollections of things done or undone. Our hearts ache. When Christ says gently to us and our broken hearts, “Do you want to get well?” We often act with unworthy, shameful attitudes, “I cannot get well, there is no one to fix such a black, hard heart that hurts so much it almost no longer feels. We reject the idea that getting “well” is even within our grasp for who could love such a broken creature. Or perhaps, we lie and say we’re fine, we’ve mostly moved on and forgiven ourselves for stupid decisions and errors, for nights barely remembered. No need for redemption.
Jesus says to us, gently, perfectly, “Get up. I will remove from you your heart of stone which has grown hard over these years and give you a beautiful heart of flesh. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all that blackness and hardness you were talking about. Oh, Arise, my dear loved one.” Spiritual Initiative for the broken hearted, even those of us who have broken our own hearts.
Fists Clenched
Anger. Thirty One maybe Thirty Two. I am mad as hell. A deep root of bitterness has grown or many roots, my fists have been clenched for a long time. Parents divorcing at a critical time in my life. Cruel school mates. Mean words or deeds from a sibling. The death of a loved one. Perhaps, infinitely, infinitely worse. Without forgiveness, the root of bitterness has grown. And as the invalid sat in the same position for Thirty Eight years he grew into place, he became almost immovable (at least in his mind), so the anger indwelt and my clenched fists grew into the ground. Now Jesus asks, “Do you want to get well?”
Fists Clenched
Anger. Thirty One maybe Thirty Two. I am mad as hell. A deep root of bitterness has grown or many roots, my fists have been clenched for a long time. Parents divorcing at a critical time in my life. Cruel school mates. Mean words or deeds from a sibling. The death of a loved one. Perhaps, infinitely, infinitely worse. Without forgiveness, the root of bitterness has grown. And as the invalid sat in the same position for Thirty Eight years he grew into place, he became almost immovable (at least in his mind), so the anger indwelt and my clenched fists grew into the ground. Now Jesus asks, “Do you want to get well?”
So I Yell back, I am mad as hell. “No one was there! Where was he? Where was she? Where were you? I had no father! I had no mother! He hurt me! She hurt me! This is outrageous. What do you know?”
Jesus says, “Get up. Pick up your fists, better yet, unclench them and walk.” With Spiritual Initiative, and in an act of praise as a sacrifice, I raise those opened fists and we worship the Lord. Thank God that He provided the initiative to unclench those fists.
Stomach Tightened
Forty Three years. Everything awry. No direction. Uncertainty. So you go every way. You attempt to please all your pleasures but your stomach ever tightens and you are like the push me-pull you. You find a path and get caught on a new one. Like a spider’s web, you are always on a new path and always followed by something unpleasant, unhappy. Your stomach constantly in chaos, forty three years of agony and defeat. You are the invalid but you walk, sometimes, and work, sometimes, and function, sometimes. What is your “invalidity”? Sometimes it is addiction, or seclusion, or painful attention seeking. But always there is a tightening in your stomach.
Stomach Tightened
Forty Three years. Everything awry. No direction. Uncertainty. So you go every way. You attempt to please all your pleasures but your stomach ever tightens and you are like the push me-pull you. You find a path and get caught on a new one. Like a spider’s web, you are always on a new path and always followed by something unpleasant, unhappy. Your stomach constantly in chaos, forty three years of agony and defeat. You are the invalid but you walk, sometimes, and work, sometimes, and function, sometimes. What is your “invalidity”? Sometimes it is addiction, or seclusion, or painful attention seeking. But always there is a tightening in your stomach.
When Jesus says “Do you want to get well?” you say “No one points me in the right way to go” or “I am having fun, no thank you.” You lie. Jesus knows and He aches for you. He says, with Spiritual Initiative, “Get up. Come, follow me. My love will support you, my consolation will bring joy to your soul.”
After Thirty Eight Years the invalid got up, picked up his mat and walked! How long will we sit with our broken hearts, our clenched fists, our stomachs tightened? Oh, that we may willingly receive Spiritual Initiative from Christ and infinitely greater, that we may we receive Christ Himself . . . “Do you want to get well?”
After Thirty Eight Years the invalid got up, picked up his mat and walked! How long will we sit with our broken hearts, our clenched fists, our stomachs tightened? Oh, that we may willingly receive Spiritual Initiative from Christ and infinitely greater, that we may we receive Christ Himself . . . “Do you want to get well?”
“Wake Up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!”
ephesians 5:14
ephesians 5:14
I was just thinking about this verse today and was going to blog about it... you are far more eloquent! AWESOME! or as they say now.. epic!
ReplyDeleteLiz, you are becoming a theologian and a writer. Your words are insightful; beyond your years. We want you to rise up and get well, but not to stop writing! Yer Old Pastor, Brian Thorstad
ReplyDeleteLiz, I believe that God has a reason for all that he does. Nothing is random or without purpose. Maybe, just maybe through your cancer, God has pointed you toward that which he needed you to do most..... and here it is.
ReplyDeleteAmazing writing!