Do you want to be healed?…a post by Tom

John 5:1–9 (ESV)The Healing at the Pool on the SabbathAfter this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.  In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 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 going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.Now that day was the Sabbath. “Do you want to be healed?” Jesus asks the sick man. Of all the many hurting people he is the one that Jesus approaches.   He has been there for a long time.   He does not answer Jesus’ question directly but instead lists out all the reasons preventing him from being healed. His answer includes being cut off by others thereby thwarting his attempts at wholeness. Given the amount of time he has been there it would be understandable if his identity was tied to that ailment, that locale, that sweaty mat, and the day in day out helplessness. Who would he be if he weren’t “that” sick guy there everyday? Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk”. Go against everything physically, neurologically, sociologically, emotionally, and spiritually grooved into his 38-year suffering. The man was healed and his "picking up his mat" violated religious law.“Do you want to be healed?” Jesus asks me. Of the many hurting people in the world I am the one considering this verse. I have been hurting for a long time. I do not have to answer Jesus’ question directly because I have many reasons preventing me from being healed.  All the times others have cut me off in my attempts at wholeness. There are many reasons why I am not whole. Given the amount of time it would be no surprise that my identity has somehow been tied to my situation. Who would I be if I weren’t the victim of ‘xyz’, telling the same storyline, in the same psychological space? Jesus says to me, “Get up right where you are, take up your life story, and walk.” A shame free, guilt free, fear free countenance is there for the taking but it may violate the expectations of others.  Do I want to be healed?“We all want something real; we’re just going about it in a way that can’t work.” –Russ Hudson