The Healing of the Paralyzed Man

Have you ever been in a situation at school or work that overwhelmed you because you had to do something you'd never done before and didn't know how it would work? Maybe it was the first time you had to give a presentation to your classmates or colleagues, perhaps it was a work presentation or the certainty that you had to tell your boss that they had done something wrong, and you knew they didn't take criticism well.

Similarly, the man at the Pool of Bethesda must have felt. He had been paralyzed for 38 years, sitting there on his mat every day. Then Jesus comes to him and asks if he wants to be healed. You'd think the paralyzed man would shout YES, right? But he had hoped for a miracle for so long, every day anew, and that hope gradually died. Maybe he also believes that the stranger standing before him is mocking him. After all, he lies on a mat by the pool, which is said to have healing powers, and he has repeatedly tried in vain to get into the water in time. But he never succeeded, so he eventually stopped throwing himself into the crowd of the sick and injured when the water started bubbling.

He explains all this to Jesus, but instead of showing understanding for this seemingly hopeless situation, Jesus tells the man to take up his mat and walk. How do you think the man felt in that situation? He was probably perplexed because he had just explained in detail why he could not be healed. How can he just get up and walk now without having gone into the water that can heal him?

But even though the paralyzed man's head was probably bursting with questions, he trusted Jesus. Even though Jesus asked him to do something he hadn't done for 38 years, even though he wasn't even sure if he remembered how to walk anymore, he stood up and tried to stand on his feet. And the miracle happened: he could walk again. So he took his mat and walked.

Next Step: Consider which areas of your life need healing and faith. Bring your wounds to the cross and let Jesus heal you, or bring him your disappointment if you have been waiting in vain for a miracle for a long time, and let yourself be filled anew with faith.