Article May 28, 2018 Issue

Always ready to be healed

Claire McArthur

Jesus’ healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda as recorded in the Bible (see John 5:2–9) is the remarkable account of a man who, for 38 years, had been stuck, bed-bound, at the edge of a pool of water, waiting for the water to move. It was said that whoever got into the water first after the water began to move would be healed, but because the man was disabled, he could not reach the water before others did. He was there year after year. Jesus approaches him, hears his tale, and tells him not only to stand up, but also to lift up and carry his bed. Which he does!

What I most love about this story is the part where the impotent man “immediately” gets up. He doesn’t continue to tell Jesus why he can’t move; he doesn’t blame others for getting to the water before him—he follows Jesus’ command. He didn’t need to wait for more time in order to get better—no, he was immediately whole and perfect.

This story completely changed the way I thought about healing. I had often thought I could be healed only after first going through some length of time and a studious period of searching and waiting for the right moment to overcome whatever ailed me. But this account, along with others in the Bible, shows that we can always be ready for healing!

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