Will You?

John 5:⁴ “For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” (KJV, emphasis added)

This was God’s way of showing the people that He wants them healed. Some people have argued that there was a spring, an underground supply of water that bubbled up and that is why the pool was bubbling and looked stirred. However, scientists have proven that there was no spring. In fact, the pool is what is referred to as a catchment basin for water. It was a supernatural stirring; an angel actually goes and stirs the water. The question is, why didn’t God heal everyone that got in? I am sure that at the time the angel stirs the water, hundreds of people jump in but heaven knows the first and heals the first. Why does it have to be just the first person alone?

It has to do with the sovereignty of God. He just chose how it should be at that time. Again, Jesus had not come so, it was a foretaste of the healing waters of life. In the case of this pool, it is the first person that gets in. In the case of Jesus, it is whosoever, may come. In our case, it is whoever gets in. Rev.22:¹⁷ “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (KJV, emphasis added). Whosoever will, let him jump into the water of life, and partake of the water of life. In our case, God says it is whosoever will. But God was giving them, in His sovereignty, a foretaste.

John 5:⁶ “When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” Why would Jesus ask such a question? The man was not lame and sitting in his house, or lame and begging on the streets. He was lame and by a pool that brings healing and for thirty-eight years, he was hoping that it will be his turn one day. The reality is when people have had a challenge for a long time, after a while, that challenge most often becomes the identity of a lot of people. Either it is a physical ailment, or a desire for a job, a spouse, children, or finances. So, when is time for healing, Jesus is asking, ‘Are you willing to lay down that identity?’ There have been people that have been single for a long time and then God brings a life partner and they are afraid. Are you willing to get married? I know the story of a man who had been in poverty for such a long time and God blessed him in a miraculous way. Do you know that the man returned the money because he said he could no longer sleep at night and he loves his sleep?

Some people, particularly those who have been in it for a long time, tend to become paranoid and sometimes lose sight of their prayer points. We lose sight of the things we have been trusting God for. Are we really desirous of God for that thing even though we have waited for years? If it stands in front of you today, can you embrace it? It is easy to criticize this man, but most people do not like change even when it is the answer to the prayers they have been praying for years.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, even as I pray and wait on God for the promise, help me to see and embrace it when God is set to do it, in Jesus Name. Amen!