John;5;1-15. (NIV)
Jesus goes to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Near the sheep gate, there is a pool which is called Bethsaida in Aramaic. It is surrounded by five covered colonnades. A great number of invalid people sit here. A particular invalid man has been sitting here for over thirty-eight years now. Jesus takes note of him and realizes that this man has been in this condition for a long, long time now. Jesus breaks the silence of the invalid atmosphere near the pool of waiting and asks a mind bogging question."do you want to get well."This question gets the invalid by surprise for he had never had a question of that nature. Since he has been waiting for someone to help him get into the pool when the angel troubles the waters, he expected someone to ask him whether he needed to be helped into the water once the water is troubled. On most occasions, we miss the visit of God when we have programmed ourselves to be asked particular questions pertaining to our needs. Where Jesus is, the rule changes. God is always in the move and will choose to act in a different way in a given situation so that we do not create a formula of how God is expected to behave in certain circumstances. What this invalid man needs now is not how he is healed, but rather the healing itself is what matters. Instead of framing his mind to wait for anybody to help him into the pool when the waters are troubled, he should have framed his mind to be healed, anyhow, in any way, whichever the method! and of course in a way that brings glory to God. If we will ever experience Jesus the healer in our life, we have to reprogram our minds by the word of God through the help of the Holy Spirit to think right so as to act right in conformity to the will of God, not by the st rules which in most occasions bring glory to the rule or the formula. The invalid has a formulated way to be healed. Jesus ignores the invalid expectations because they were as invalid as the invalid himself! and acts to save this man's situation. Jesus commands the man to "Get up! pick up your mat and walk." The invalid does what he has been tolled and his obedience helps him out of his situation. Your obedience to what the Lord commands you to do will release the power of God and cause the heavenly host to act on your behalf.
