The Man At The Pool
John 5v1-9
To explain this scripture, the lame man was unwell for 38 years and he lay with all the other infirm day in and day out waiting for a chance to get into the water of the pool. Some scriptures add that the people queue up at the pool and wait for a certain movement of the water – “ for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and stirred up the water. The first person to step down into it afterward was healed.”
In this instance, due to the man’s infirmity, he was unable to get into the pool by himself. He came to the pool to be healed and because he could not get into the pool, he went away each day, unhealed. When Jesus saw him, he already knew the length of time that the man was unwell for when he asked him, “ would you like to get well?”
Note the lame man’s reply, “I can’t sir.”
Coming back to the Lord’s first question to the man, I can’t help but think that it sounds a bit curious and even incredulous. In all the 38 years that this man had been coming to the pool, he just resigned himself to the fact that the crowds would pass him by into the pool and thus he made no extra effort to overcome that. The man’s response to Jesus does not answer also, what the Lord is indeed asking him. Asking the man the desire of his heart as opposed to what can or can’t be done, are worlds apart.
The word “CAN’T” indicates the man’s defeatist attitude, his sense of hopelessness and his negativity. He came to the pool everyday with the intention of going into the water to be healed but left again at the end of each day because getting into the water proved to be a challenge. He intended to get healed , but did he believe that he would be healed? Other than just lying at the side on his mat and watching the others get into the water, what , if any, other effort did he make to get himself into the pool.
How about us as children of God? How serious are we about claiming our blessings from our God? What is our attitude when we ask of the Lord?
In our day to day lives, we experience a host of challenges. We know many who are unemployed out there, and we always ensure that we remember them in prayer. We also hear of many children of God who say that they are praying very hard for God to help them find a job! That is well and good. Ask them then :
- Have you prepared a cv?
- Have you looked in the newspapers for vacancies?
- Have you made any applications and handed in your cv?
- Have you asked people around you to keep you in mind should they hear of a vacancy?
These are then just some of the ways to get ready to receive your blessing from God. After having done what you can, then pray purposefully whilst believing in faith, that our gracious God will open that door for you. Do not expect to scour the newspapers every 6 months or make an application once or twice a year and then sit down and wait. We need to get out of our seats of complacency. We need to be fervent and consistent in our efforts and our Saviour will do the rest. The same applies to students who are hoping to get through exams or children of God who are believing Him for a miracle. Students work consistently and conscientiously and pray in faith to the God of all Grace, and your efforts will be rewarded. We cannot do anything by ourselves. (Philipians 4v13: “for I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength”.) Similarly, children of God desiring healing for one or other infirmity, you do your part. Keep a good attitude, obey the doctor’s orders and make every attempt to steer clear of those things that are not conducive to your good health, and then give over your healing to the Lord in faith whilst believing.
Transforming our lives means stepping out in faith, believing that God is able to turn every impossibility into a possibility! Like the lame man, we long for certain things, but because of our debilitating fear and insecurity and also unfamiliarity, we do not take the next step. Waiting for all our insecurities and fear to go away, or as in the case of the lame man, waiting for the crowd to lessen , we will never claim our blessings and our victories. Courage is not the absence of fear, but , courage is taking advantage of what little strength we find within ourselves and stepping out in faith. We need to find little ways in which to encourage ourselves and stubbornly hang onto the Word of God. Child of God, if HE said HE will do it, then you better believe that HE WILL DO IT! If HE promised, then you better BELIEVE those promises. One way to follow God’s direction is certainly through prayer:
- Pray purposefully
- Prepare prayerfully
- Proceed positively and pursue persistently
Prayer prepares us for progress, presents us with privileges, provides us with power and props us with a purpose. ( “seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL these things will be added unto you”)
When you pray, NAME IT, BELIEVE IT, CLAIM IT AND RECEIVE IT!
Change the mind-set and the attitude. Come into the house of God expectant and you will go receiving. Do not be like the lame man who lay waiting for an opportunity to be healed for 38 years. We need to boldly claim our blessings, healing etc.
2 Corinthians 12V9: “My gracious favour is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.”
Thank Lord Jesus Amen