I have recently been reading through the Gospel of John. It’s taking me longer than I imagined because I keep finding little “nuggets” of new truths. But when I got to John 5:2-8, something I had never considered was brought to my attention.
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.
Another day had dawned beside the pool of Bethesda. Each day, this unnamed man sat lonely amid a crowd of other sick and needy people. And those in this crowd were not friendly but solely focused on one thing – the place of hope and the opportunity for their own healing. The group of people kept Bethesda in their sights and drew near to the water, looking to take advantage of the stirring waters whenever they had the chance. … Not thinking of the man unable to make it to the pool.
Yet, there he sat.
The man had missed out on experiencing the healing for himself for 38 years until the hope for the hopeless arrived.
When Jesus saw him among the needy crowd, He was moved with compassion. Having been there for so long, Jesus asked him, “Do you want to get well?” To most, “Yes!” was the obvious answer. But it was valid, nonetheless.
Did he want to be healed, or did he want to remain an observer of the hope of healing? Did he choose to wallow in his lonely, helpless estate for the pity he received and the lack of effort it required of him, or did he desire more?
These are the questions we must all answer. Do we want to be healed of our sin-sick condition, or do we wish to remain simple observers of the hope available through Jesus?
This man wanted healing. His problem? He had no one to help him. He had no friends or family to take him to the healing waters. Until Jesus, he had been overlooked, ignored, and pushed aside, but now, Jesus, the Friend who sticks closer than a brother, had arrived and offered him immediate healing.
It was the invalid’s job to accept and to receive, and he did just that. Upon his newfound Friend’s command, he got up, picked up his mat, and walked. His healing was immediate.
He had found a friend in Jesus!
And just like that man, we can run to Jesus for grace, healing, and friendship.
Perhaps nothing sums up this relationship quite like the sweet timeless hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge –
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.
We can’t save people, but we can be a friend to the friendless.
We can’t heal people, but we can point them to the Healer.
We can’t meet every need, but we can offer true Hope to the hopeless.
We can point them to the ultimate Friend.
So, will you?
