Heart Matters

“Now there in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.  In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.  For a angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.  Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.  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?” John 5: 1-6

For some reason whenever I read this scripture, Jesus’ question really stands out to me.  I can never read past it.  It stops me in my tracks every single time.  I find myself pausing so I can think on it and try to properly process The Lord’s question to this broken man.  I wonder-why did Jesus ask him if he wanted to be made well?  I mean wasn’t it obvious that he did?!  The man had been crippled by his illness for 38 years.  Wouldn’t the fact that he was near the pool which everyone knew an angel occasionally visited, providing healing for the first person in, lead to the logical conclusion that indeed the diseased man was there in hopes of being healed?  Why then did Jesus ask him if he wanted to be made well?

If we would have come across the man camped out around the pool among so many others who were disabled and diseased we would automatically assume, like everyone else there, he too desperately wanted to be healed.  Yet when Jesus asked him if he wanted to be made well, he didn’t respond with an emphatic “YES!” or “YES I DO!” or even “YES! can you help me get closer to the pool?!” Notice Jesus asked him a direct, close ended question which required a simple “yes” or “no” response.  However his answer (verse 7) instead seems to be an explanation of why he hasn’t yet been healed. He told Jesus he didn’t have anyone to put him into the pool when the water is stirred and while he’s on his way someone always steps down into the pool before him.  Instead of an affirmative response his answer seems to be a deflection of sorts.  Within his response there’s evidence of both self-pity and self-defense.  Outwardly he looked like someone in desperate need of healing.  But it seems Jesus knew the man had an even greater need-there was something going on on the inside that needed addressing too.

The man by the pool of Bethesda’s reply to the Lord lead me to believe Jesus asked him that question for more than just the obvious reason. The fact that Jesus even asked him the question in the first place naturally implies the ailing man must have had some conflicting feelings regarding being healed. Jesus’ question, coupled with the man’s response, seems to suggest there’s more going on here than meets the eye.  When the all knowing LORD of the universe asks a question, it’s never because He doesn’t already know the answer.  His questions are to make us think and come to the realization of some kind.

I have to admit I may be wrong about this because The Word doesn’t really tell us why Jesus asked him the question or the reason the man responded the way he did.  So I may need you to indulge me a little bit here.  I think Jesus asked him this question because He knew the answer wasn’t as simple as it should have been. So lets say for argument sake that I’m right about this.  Let’s say the reason the Lord asked the man at the pool of Bethesda if he wanted to be made well was because: there was something inside of him that didn’t; there’s something inside of him that had lost all hope; something inside that after all those years decided to accept his illness.  I don’t believe it would be that far of a stretch to consider this as a possibility.  Often times when we have to learn to live with something difficult for a great length of time we resign ourselves to accepting the hand we’ve been dealt.  Once we begin to lose hope we also begin to also lose ourselves in the process.  We can find ourselves stuck, settling into something that was only meant to be seasonal.

I believe we have all struggled like this in some manner and/or to some degree.  We allow some disappointments to discourage us to the point of depression.  We struggle and struggle in our own strength until the conflict becomes just too much. Exhausted from the fight we throw in the towel and surrender to a complacency which eventually leads to our captivity. Like the man by the pool of Bethesda we stay close to the possibility of healing: we attend church; we listen to biblical teachings; we occasionally read our Bibles and pray.  We believe we can be healed-we see others being delivered-but it just doesn’t seem meant to be for us.  It’s within sight but since it’s been so long and it still hasn’t happened, we park ourselves close to the pool just in case. But deep down we’ve accepted that it doesn’t look good for us.  We have every intention of getting to the place of healing, but we’ve found ourselves a comfortable little spot to settle into and snuggle close to those who are just like us. We look like we want to be healed, but in all actuality we’ve admitted defeat. Like the man in this scripture we’ve  come to the place of needing a supernatural encounter with Jesus!

Before I go any further, since I am discussing the subject of healing, I want to make sure you understand what I’m saying so as to not create confusion.  Sound Biblical Doctrine is everything!  So I’m not saying that whenever someone is dealing with some sort of sickness they should automatically assume that The Lord wants to heal them.  Based on the Word of God we know that The Lord does allow His children to go through various trials and tribulations.  We know that He has a purpose when He calls His children to suffer in some way.  The Lord doesn’t always heal us this side of heaven. Sometimes the ailment is the vehicle by which we get transported to our eternal home and ultimate healing. While we remain on this earth, oftentimes The Lord uses our suffering to:

-Sanctify us – to refine us more and more into the image of His Son.

-Special Service-to use our suffering and the way we persevere to proclaim Jesus to others.

-Security-simply to teach us to trust Him even more!

So you can know there’s always a purpose in the pain The Lord has called you to.  When we truly desire to be made whole but the Lord has said “not yet” we can know our suffering is not being wasted.  It’s working in us and hopefully on others.  We must remember we do not belong to ourselves-we were bought with a price (1st Corinth 6:20) the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  It’s all up to HIM-what He calls us to; how He desires for us to glorify Him; what He uses to draw us closer to Himself; what He uses to grow and mature us; what He uses to refine and purge us; what He uses to allow us the privileged of declaring His glory. So if you’ve examined your heart to make sure you’re not dealing with a possible consequence of sin, then you can know your suffering, for whatever time He allows it, is for a reason.

However, there are times such as is the case in the scripture above, when the Lord would heal us if we we’re truly willing to be made whole.  But we may have to face somethings, forgive somethings, as we come face to face with Jesus.  So for some of us it’s just easier to believe God doesn’t want to heal us than to believe that He does. For some of us it’s more comfortable to stay where we are than to build up the lift to soar.

Okay so maybe this isn’t you and nor has it ever been.  Praise God!  However, I’m sure at the very least you know someone like this.  You know the person who has been so broken by life that they’ve become stagnant. It’s that person who has been deeply wounded in some way and now because of it they live a life that’s heavily weighed down and burdensome.  You know, that person who lives in a perpetual state of crisis, who immediately squashes any and every suggestion you make to help them without batting an eye. They’ve been in the same sticky situation for a very long time but insist on going about everything exactly the same way the have for years.  They say they do pray about it but God never responds.  They just can’t seem to hear His voice.

You can see so much potential in them and so you try your best to help them snap out of it and move forward but its all to no avail.  No matter what you suggest, no matter how you try to help them, they either dismiss you with their silence, or they immediately let you know all the reasons your suggestions just won’t work.  You try to get them to the point of truly trusting the Lord and reducing their own voice so they can hear His but it never works. The refreshing water is just beyond their grasp but something always gets in the way and makes it unreachable.

For some the roots are so deep and the pain is so devastating it has infiltrated every area of their being. Deep down they’re unable to get over what disabled them in the first place and so they remain handicapped in desperate need of healing. And yet they seem oblivious to the real source of their disability.  For some, so much time has passed since they were wronged that the actual culprit of their disease is no longer prevalent in their minds. With the crooked roots cleverly tucked into the recesses of their mind they focus on trimming their limbs instead of pulling up the roots.  If you bring up pass hurts they can readily dismiss it, as though they are completely over it, as if it never happened. Their refusal to confront their past causes them to in a sense forfeit the fullness of their future. They presently live deceived, blaming all their problems on surface circumstances, all the while allowing the very thing which needs to be released to tether them down altogether. They’ve unknowingly embraced the very thing which has erected itself as one of their strongest enemies and most devastating foes.

What do you do when you encounter such a person?  How do you respond to a loved one who has found his/her self in such a position?  I’m sure you look for all the right answers. If you’re like me you’ve tried finding scriptures which apply specifically to what seems to be their particular problem.  But this normally doesn’t work, does it?  Have you wondered why every single suggestion and every single option you offer is immediately rejected without a second thought?  Have you wondered why their issue is so obvious to you and yet they seem oblivious to it?  Have you exhausted yourself trying to help them fight their way out or have you excused yourself from their lives?   Have you ever considered that perhaps deep down this person doesn’t really wish to be healed?  Have you ever concluded there’s no helping them because they don’t wish to be helped? Have you ever thought they’re greatest problem is their very own sinfulness?

What if this person is you? The thing we desire to be free of most can become our greatest crutch. There’s something in the heart of man that has a propensity to cling to the very thing which contaminates and crushes him. It becomes our excuse for not stepping up, moving forward, growing, and prospering.  Like the man by the pool we lay there almost paralyzed on the mat of our excuses, fine with being incapacitated and never being able to make it to the place of wholeness and healing. Like the man by the pool, when questioned, we try to justify our position in an attempt to get the affirmation we need.  But excuses will never do for our Lord!  Sin and sanctification were never meant to co-exist!  When Jesus is ready to heal us He’ll get straight to the point.  In response to the man’s lengthy reply,  He said “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” John 5:8

When Jesus is ready to deliver and heal us we’d be wise to look up and listen.  JWhen Jesus is ready to heal us, it’s time to rise!  Jesus was able to override whatever that poor man at the pool of Bethesda was dealing with. That man may have had so many reasons why he remained in that condition.  Perhaps he was in denial of the real reason he was still with the infirmity for so many years.  Maybe he was trusting what He could see with his eyes and easily believe for his healing instead of simply taking it to the Lord.  It could have been that he settled for living on the cusp of the possibility of healing because it had become familiar and comfortable.  Perhaps he was simply fearful of what his new life would be as a completely well individual.  Or maybe there was a sin that had taken root and needed to be plucked up.  The thing is when Jesus entered into the picture, whatever the problem was, He could address it and take care of it.  Once Jesus decided to heal him after asking him “do you want to be made well?” and listening to the man’s response, Jesus commanded him to get up and he was immediately healed!  (See verses 8 and 9)

Once the power of the Lord healed him and he was whole- it was easy for him to pick up his bed and walk!  I guess the point I’m trying to make is that nothing that weighs us down is too heavy for the Lord!  Don’t you just love who HE is?!  I wonder how this man’s testimony was used to influence others for Christ.  He could share all that he went through in those 38 years and how Jesus set him free in just seconds or minutes!  Most importantly he could share how The Lord didn’t just heal him physically and then leave him to himself.  Although afterwards the Lord initially withdrew into the multitude, He later went and found the man in the temple.  Get this-Jesus went looking for him!  And it was there that He said to him, “See, you have been made well.  Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” John 5:14

It would seem the man by the pool of Bethesda was dealing with some sort of sin issue after all!  Here Jesus told him to “sin no more”.  This implies the newly healed man was also spiritually restored.  He now had the ability to reject the sin which had entangled him for so long!  The Lord didn’t just heal this man physically, He pursued him and saved him for all eternity! The man may have been bound by sin, but God in His mercy and love graciously set him free!  Today, He still does the same thing with us!

HEART TO HEART:  WILT THOU BE MADE WHOLE?  WHY DON’T YOU LOOK UP AND LISTEN FOR HIS VOICE?  IF IT’S HIS WILL, IT WILL BE EASY!