Do you want to be made well?

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” John 5:6-8 NKJV
 
The world was full of sick lame and demon possessed people when Jesus walked the earth. The world is full of hurting people today!
 
A great multitude of people lay around a pool waiting for an angel to stir up the waters. The first person who entered the pool would be healed. A man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years sat by. He was waiting to jump into the pool at the right moment.
 
Jesus walked up and asked the paralyzed man, “Do you want to be made well?” Why would Jesus ask such an obvious question?
 
God was standing before this man but he was still focused on getting into the pool. He was looking for someone to give him a hand even though God was intervening in his life, why? He did not know Jesus!
 
Multitudes are looking for miracles today. Most of them are looking in the wrong places.
 
I had a conversation with a young man who is addicted to drugs. With desperation in his voice he said, “If God is real I want Him to come here and change me right now.” The young man went his way and continued using drugs.
 
This young man has known Jesus since he was a child. He walked away from the love of Christ. He spends his time self-medicating. He is paralyzed by pain and anger. What would Jesus say to him? Perhaps He would ask, “Do you want to be made well?”
 
I was paralyzed by fear pain and anger. Jesus made me well. Sometimes I try jumping back into the pool of self-reliance. There are times when I consider self-medicating. Sometimes Jesus stops me. Sometimes He lets me be overcome by the waters before intervening!
 
Jesus is standing by waiting to heal unsaved people from the paralyzing bondage of unbelief. He wants people to stop self-medicating. Jesus wants people to stop looking for healing in all the wrong places. Jesus wants the multitude to turn to Him!
 
Jesus wants to heal Christians from bondage to legalism. He wants us to turn from self-reliance. Jesus wants us to stop self-medicating. Even the redeemed of the Lord are can fall into the trap of looking for healing in the wrong places!
 
The world is full of needy people. You may be one of them. Do not follow the multitude into the tempestuous waters of self-reliance. Do not self-medicate in the cesspool of sin.
 
Do you want to be made well? Call out to Jesus for healing. He is the Great Physician!
 
#Joyfor2daydailydevotional
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