After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath (John 5:1-9).
Today's Morsel: The story of Jesus healing the man at the pool of Bethesda has always been one of my favorite stories in the Bible. Here was a man who by all accounts was doing everything he could to get healed of his infirmities. But every time the waters were troubled, someone else always beat him into the pool. But what I like about the man is that he doesn't seem to be a quitter. He doesn't seem to lose his tenacity to receive his healing. When Jesus came to him and asked if he wanted to be made whole, he tells Jesus that when the water is troubled he's trying to be the first one, but that someone else always get there first because he has no one to help him. I think that the reason Jesus may have went to him was because He saw his faith. This man had some determination about him to get healed. Let's look at this a little closer. He's been in his condition 38 years. The angel went down at a certain season. Let's just say that the angel went down once every season of the year. Then this man would have tried to be the first on to reach the pool 152 times and come up short. But he kept trying to get there. Talk about faith. This man's attempt, by all account, is pleasing to God. Faith without works is dead, James said. Let's flip the pages, do you know how many fish Peter and the apostles caught the morning they saw Jesus on the shore after His resurrection when He told them to cast their nets on the other side? It was 153. "Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken"(John 21:11). In both stories, the focus is that we must realize that Jesus is always watching us. He knows and sees our disappointments, and He is aware of our every need and care. Therefore as the scripture encourages us, we must not "Cast not away therefore our confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. We have need of patience, that, after we have done the will of God, we might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. we must live by faith and not draw back, because we are of them that believe to the saving of the soul" (My wording) (Hebrews 10:35-39). Keep your faith active and see what Jesus will do when He shows up.
Sing: He touched me! O-oh, He touched me! And oh, the joy, that floods my soul, something happened, and now I know, Jesus touched me, and made me whole.
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