Read John 5:7-14. Circle the words that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
Digging Deeper
Wow, what a relief! It’s over. It’s done. Thank God. That’s our attitude when we finally overcome that impossible obstacle or problem in our life. We are ready to move on with our life. There’s the next big thing to do on our list.
Are we forgetting something? I don’t think so. I thanked God, didn’t I? I did. Now, we’re on our merry way but we forgot what got us there in the first place! You and I are inclined to make the same mistake again. We may put ourselves back into that same box, but under different circumstances.
Jesus was happy for the lame man to be healed, but there was more than just a physical healing that he needed. He needed spiritual healing. He only saw his physical infirmity. He didn’t consider how the spiritual realm may affect our physical realm. Jesus revealed this to him, as he told him to cease sinning.
We don’t know what that sin(s) were in this man’s life. Not all illness is caused by sin as in the case of Job, but there may be sin(s) that may cause one’s physical illness. Before we merrily move on with our life, it is wise to pause and be quiet before the Spirit of God. Is there some sin in my life? Have I taken care of my body as I should since your Spirit lives in me? Have I been too consumed with work and driving my body too hard? Am I resting enough? Am I confessing sins so that the Spirit of God can enable me to do His work? Don’t just move with the next task. You don’t want to find yourself in that same box again or even a worse situation!
-Kingston