John 5:6–7: “When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered Him, ‘Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.'”

March 12th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Jesus saw a man who had been ill for 38 years and asked him a question that at first glance seems strange: “Do you want to be made well?” Most would think the answer was obvious. Or was it? We can safely assume Jesus has never asked a pointless or foolish question. So we must conclude that this man’s answer was critical to his circumstances. As strange as it may seem, there are many people who do not want to be healed, even though outwardly they complain about their condition, inwardly they have become familiar and even comfortable with their state. Someone characterized this as getting stuck in “fur-lined” ruts.

In this man’s life, major changes might have been disruptive and required many adjustments. How about your condition? Do you want to be healed of your sin or your addiction? Do you want your marriage or family relationship healed? This man’s answer to Jesus’ question was as interesting as Jesus’ question to him. Instead of the expected answer; “Are you kidding? Of course, I’d love it!” He said, “Sir, I have no man.” That sounds like, “Man, you don’t understand how difficult my problem really is.” Instead of just saying, “Yes, Lord,” he gave Jesus all the reasons it couldn’t possibly happen. He was really saying, “Yes, I want to be healed, but I cannot. I have no hope. It’s impossible.”

Many have fallen into the trap of this kind of shackled thinking. They have given up all hope of things ever changing, of being healed, restored, or set free. They’ve resigned themselves to their weakness or addictions. How many times has God wanted to talk with us about a work He wants to do in our lives, but we wanted to talk about all the reasons why things cannot be changed? We need to determine, and then choose, what we really want and what God really wants for our lives. As God’s children, we need to say along with the Apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

“LORD, we give You permission to change in us anything and everything You desire to change this day, in Jesus’ name.”