Thirty-eight years of suffering from an illness. That was the state of a man at the pool of Bethesda. He, like so many other sickly people there, was waiting for an angel to trouble the waters. The first person in the water, after the angel, was healed. Yet, time and again, the man couldn’t get to the pool first for his healing.
On one particular Sabbath, Jesus saw the man lying down. He asked the sick man if he wanted to be healed. The man told him he didn’t have anyone to help him get to the pool in time. So, while struggling alone to get to the pool, someone else would beat him there. The man’s hope was gone when he saw someone beat him to the water. The water no longer had healing power. He really tried but still ended up empty-handed.
The standard window of opportunity closed for him. But Jesus created a personal window of opportunity!! He said, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” Immediately – without the assistance of anyone, without the angel troubling the water again, and without anyone’s approval – the man was healed. He picked up his bed and walked from the pool!! In an instant, he was healed.
This reminds us the Lord is more than able to give us what we need. The man thought he needed someone to stand alongside him and help him to the pool at a set time. Jesus blew all of that out of the water. He wasn’t shocked that the man would carry his bed on the Sabbath. He directed him to do so – and the man was elated to follow Jesus’ directive.
This account also reminds us that there will always be naysayers in your life who will point out what is wrong with what God told you. They will be quick to criticize the timing, the methodology, and the fact God did it without their approval. But that blesses my soul to know that people can’t block the Lord from delivering you.
No need to worry about what you don’t have – your lack of support won’t hinder the Lord. In fact, when He’s done speaking to your situation, the problem will be gone.
Take heart, no matter how long it’s been, it’s never too late for the Lord to speak deliverance to your situation. No one could sneak in and take the man’s deliverance. It his alone!
5 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. John 5:1-16 (KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)