In John chapter 5 we read of the man at the pool of Bethesda. I’ve written on this a number of times but today I want to talk about it in a bit of a different way. But first I would have you reread the story if you have not recently done so.
Next, we need to understand a bit of how the pool was set up. From archaeological evidence we know it was a pool set in the ground that was only accessible via stairs that had some flat landings part of the way down. It was on these landing that the injured waited for the pool to be stirred up at which point they. The pool was set a bit further down the side of the city so there was also a set of stairs that would need to be climbed to get back into the city. From best we can tell it had 13 steps, about 6 of them to the pool from the middle landing and 7 back to the city.
6 one way and 7 the other way may not seem like a lot, but it is for a paralytic. As the character says in The Chosen “it might as well be a hundred miles” for the paralytic man it would been a nearly impossible feat. but what do we see in the scriptures?
Jesus sees him and walks to him and asks if he wants to be healed. They talk a little bit, and the Jesus heals him. What do we not read in the scriptures? It does not say “Jesus, who was at the top of the stairs, said come up here and I will heal you” nor does it say “Jesus stepped down into the water and said, come down here man and I will make you walk” Jesus simply asks him if he wants to be healed and then heals him.
Jesus did not expect the man to come up to Him or down to Him. He met the man where he was.
If this is the case, why do we so often think it different with us?
If you are at all like me the thought “If I can go a little further Jesus will then heal or help me” has often occurred to you. Whether with misguided understanding of worthiness or through a foolish and prideful attempt to do what I think should be possible I set a metaphorical top stair or pool and then set up the idea that if I can just get there, I will have earned His help.
And then comes the struggle. The fruitless, endless struggle. The attempt to climb up the stairs that might as well be 100 miles. The hopeless struggle as those I thought could and would help step over me and shove me away from the pool and step down in front of me. After what feels like 38 years of struggling the despair sets in, lying face down, I become as those described in Isaiah with blinded eyes and hardened heart, not understanding that if I would turn, I would be healed.
Because He is there. He is not at the top of the stair, nor the bottom of the pool. He is not on the mountain top or the valley floor, unless I am. Jesus is not standing off at some unobtainable distance but is standing next to us. Waiting for us to turn to Him and be healed.
I saw a video not that long ago that talked about how Jesus does not want to meet us at the peak of righteousness because we are not there. Accept His love and strength in the valley of humility and he will sustain you to the top of the peaks.
This came at a time that I really needed it. I felt as if I was burning up from both ends of the candle and in several spot in the middle. Like sunburnt man on a hot day with no pool to cool off in. Try as I might there was no relief for me. There was no way to obtain the height I thought I needed. Broken and hurting I turned to my best friend for a blessing. And among the things that the Lord shared though him was an impression to turn to the Lord and bathe in the cooling love of Jesus. The next morning I read John 5 and watched the video and saw the error of my ways. Through prayer and humbling myself I turned to Him and found His love and healing ready and waiting, there next to me. As He always has been.
Brothers and sisters, He is not in the metaphorical over there but is here! He is with us now! Turn and be healed! In Romans 5 it talks about how while we were still sinner Jesus died for us. In our lowest and worst time, Jesus died for us then. If you are there in your worst now, so is He. Turn to Him. If you are in the heights of righteousness He is there too, turn to Him.
“If I ascend to heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in Sheol You are there”
As always I’m praying for thee; please pray for me.