As I started back through the Gospel of John in my devotional reading I was struck again by the story in Chapter five of the man by the pool. It's the first 17 verses of chapter five, and hit full in the face by the question that Jesus asks the man... "Do you want to be healed?"
There are a number of interesting aspects in the gospel account. First Jesus knows that the man has been in this condition for 38 years (v.5), or at least it's listed in the account that he had been been there 38 years, and also that "Jesus knew that he'd already been a long time in this condition." Second, knowing that the man had been in that condition for so long the question, "Do you want to be healed?" seems ridiculous. Who wouldn't want to be healed? Who wants to stay in that condition. The answer that the man gives is, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when it's stirred up!"
What has come clear to me over the years I think is that Jesus question is not rhetorical. I think it's an actual question. It seems to me that Jesus is willing to heal, but there needs to be some movement on the man's part... namely... "get up, take your pallet and walk!" that's the command that Jesus gives to the man, and he does it. The power for change and healing is perfectly and immediately available to the man if he will believe and move.
I don't that the point of this text is that we'll all be healed of our physical ailments if we'll only believe more and do something. I think it does mean, however, that we can choose to stay in our current situation, and sometimes that situation is dysfunction, if we'd like, but if we're willing to make a move real changes can take place. Christ want us to have abundant life... that is promised to all who believe... but it will take some movement on our part. Or, we can continue to wallow in our current situation.
I know my own life can be a mess at times... or parts of it can be a mess at times, and all that's required for real change is for me to do what I know I need to do... to be obedient to the truths I already know.
It's difficult to help someone who doesn't want help... it's like trying to lift dead weight; it's a very difficult task. I think Jesus is often asking us the question, in the midst of our messyness... "Do you want to be healed?" It's a legitimate question, and since he loves us
2 comments:
"Do you want to be healed?"
Doesn't Jesus ask all of us this question? If all are under the condemnation of sin, all need an answer, otherwise they (we) perish.
Do you want to live?
The correct answer is yes.
:-)
No question that you're right about this... Jesus wants to know the answer to whether we want out of our current situation or not... if not... as a gentleman he will not force us. If so as redeemer, savior, friend he's ready to reach out his hand and pull us out.
I think though, the correct answer may not always be yes... I mean that's the answer that seems intuitively correct to us... but there are those who find their identity in the mire and dysfunction and wouldn't know what to do if they got out...
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