Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.’ – John 5:14

The poor man had been in his condition for 38 years, lying at the Pool of Siloam. He was lame and helpless without human support, for no one offered when he needed it. 

Tradition had it that angels would come to stir the pool and would give healing to the first to enter it. How could he race against the strong, though diseased in other ways, when he was lame? So, he had this mental excuse to keep him in that bitter state, and he made sure Jesus heard it. 

Do not fault me, sir, whoever you are. You do not know how cruel and uncaring people are. I have been in this situation for so long, but no one has ever offered to help me, or given me special status and prioritized me when the pool got stirred (Paraphrased).

How many have been living under such oppressive mental condition and, though hating it, are still enjoying the cover it provides from blame? 

It is never our fault, but that of someone. We can always find consolation in our weaknesses or the lack of resources to excuse our failings, but when will we grow up to take responsibility for some of them? It could be marital problems, poor financial status or economic opportunities, low self-esteem, lack of education or low social position. There may be people who have hurt you or denied you a privilege—a mother, father, colleague, a wicked boss, pastor, friend — you name them. The question, though, is when will you take God at His word and receive your healing, standing in the victory of Christ to overcome those words or actions done against you?

Jesus’ question to the man only required a simple yes or no answer – whether he wanted healing. However, notice the tons of bile that the man spewed at the Lord. Gracious Lord that He is, Jesus disregarded all of that and commanded the man to get up, pick up his mat and walk (8). If only we could receive His word in this way, without the nagging doubt, and act on it, we would experience His power in this way many times, but we do not. 

The evil one has conned us to relegate His miraculous dealing with us to the past, so we least expect it in our daily walk with Him. I am not talking about a miracle healer somewhere commanding you to stand up and walk. I am talking about trusting God through prayer for healing in incredible ways, sometimes with no human agent.

The story took a different turn when Jesus met the man in the temple and warned him to stop sinning; or something worse may happen to him (14). He told him to live now, and stop sliding backwards into the dead lifestyle again.

Child of God! It is time for you to live now. You are that invalid at the Pool of Bethesda that Christ healed. It is time to live for Him. Paul puts it this way: 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). 

Live now! The old life is gone. The new has come in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), so, live it by the power of the Holy Spirit in you. Amen!