Thoughts for the Day

After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralysed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

(The Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Yesterday we saw Jesus at Cana healing a royal official's young son, and now he's in Jerusalem for one of the three festivals of obligation (Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles) when all males were required to attend the festivals if possible. We have no idea where Cana was but it seems unlikely it was close to Jerusalem, however, Jesus would have wanted to honour his Father and worship at the Temple at this time.

We see him at the pool at Bethzatha where there was a subterranean stream which periodically stirred the water. The local legend was that an angel disturbed the water and whoever entered first would be healed. Here, Jesus comes across a man who is paralysed, and who cannot get into the pool quick enough. Jesus has pity on him, but there is to be no quick fix for the man. After being cared for by others (who bring him to the pool each day and feed and care for him) for 38 years is he really ready to be healed? It means he will have to re-enter the world as it were, once more. So Jesus asks him: "Do you want to be made well?" And when Jesus gives the command "Stand up!" the man will need to put all his faith, all his will-power, as well as his re-energised strength into obeying the command.

Today when we ask God for help we must expect to work with God. Even miracles require us to put in some effort, like praying; having faith in God; following a Doctor's orders; or making an effort to solve the problem ourself. We are not puppets, but children of God. There is an old saying; "God helps those who help themselves!"

Father God,
Your Son, our Lord,
taught us that miracles don't come easily,
but that we need faith in You
and in Your plans for us,
when we come to You for help.
He also reminded us that this is a two-way process
and that we must provide the effort
as well as the will power
if we are to receive help.
May our faith be strong enough
to allow us to turn to You in confidence.
Amen.