John 5:8-9 -- Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was a Sabbath on that day.
Over the past few days, we've watched the interaction between Jesus and this man, who has been sick and feeble for thirty-eight years. Today we see this man make a choice that changes the course of the rest of his life.
In verse six Jesus sees this man and challenges him with a very deep question, "Do you want to get well?".
In verse seven the man responds with a hopefully hopeless answer, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming another steps down before me."
The man may not have answered Jesus' "YES or NO" question directly, but He already knew the heart behind the words.
Jesus says to him, "Get up, pick up your pallet and walk." and immediately the man became well!
This whole thing started with thirty-eight years of sickness and feebleness and after three simple commands from the mouth of Jesus, IMMEDIATELY, the man became well!
Now let's slow down a moment. We often get so caught up in the right now, physical, miracles we fly right by the bigger, more important things that have taken place.
Before the healing Jesus talked with him. He confronted the man's desire to be healed, willingness to give up his current life, where his hope was at, the obstacles he saw. Then Jesus confronts him with one final thing…the same confrontation for the Royal Official in chapter four… Do I believe in Jesus' words? This man didn't even know who Jesus was and he's been commanded to GET UP… PICK UP his pallet and WALK.
We now watch this man choose to believe in Jesus and His words! He doesn't argue, he doesn't give another list of reasons why he can't, he simply stands up, grabs his pallet and walks! He believed with all his heart if Jesus told Him to do it, then Jesus had somehow made him whole to obey!
Christian, I want you to think about two final things here.
First, there are a million voices out there all telling you what to do, who to be, what to think, where to go, what to buy, what is truth, what to believe, where to hope, etc...
Christian, IF YOU DO NOT READ THE WORD OF GOD, YOU WILL NOT KNOW HIS VOICE. If you do not know His voice, how will you know which voice is the way? How will you know which voice is truth? How will you know which voice is life? The devil knows His voice and he's quite good at mimicking and twisting it. Let that sink in for a minute.
John 10:27 -- The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.
Beloved, don't deceive yourself into thinking reading 2-minute devotional plans on your phone, written by man, with stories and explanations by man, will substitute the reading of God's Word. They are great tools as supplements, but they are not the Word of God. Don’t think reading the "Daily Bible Verse" alone each day can replace sitting down in His presence and listening to Him as you take in His Word. It just can't. No one gets to know another person by listening to one sentence from them each day. We have such a famine in our churches with next to zero personal reading of the Bible. How can you know it's Him if you don't know what He sounds like?
Second, Christian, if you DO KNOW His voice are you obeying Him? Are you walking as He walked? Are you standing up for Jesus in a world that no longer even pretends to care? Is your lamp uncovered as the world grows darker? This man was crippled for thirty-eight years and had the faith to stand up, pick up the place he'd laid for decades, and walk. What about you?
I know this was heavy, I realize it's confrontational, but it's where He led and from what I've witnessed, Jesus loves people enough to confront them, so I will too.
You are loved. You are prayed over. You are not alone.
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