Your Voice

John 5:^10-11 “so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!” But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”

As you are lifted in this season, be careful of people who cannot rejoice with you. Instead, they come to you with technicalities. You have prayed and trusted God for a husband. God has given you a husband and they are saying, ‘Are you not six months older than him? How do you respect such a man?’ Please, how is that your business? You have to be careful of people who cannot rejoice with you. People will come to you with all sorts of technicalities of the law. You buy a new car, and they say, ‘Be careful, you are a single girl buying a Jeep, who will marry you?’ Tell them that the God that brought the Jeep, will bring the man. Sometimes church folks are just amazing people. Do not worry, it is a good problem because it means your voice is restored.

Think about the scenario from our anchor text; those were the top-ranking folks in the land. This crippled man would never have had an audience with them. Even if he did, when they speak, he would be careful how he responds because they can banish him and generations from the synagogue for life. And that is a big deal to the Jew. Ask the blind man that Jesus healed in John 9. The Jewish leaders refused to accept his report and called in his parents for questioning. ‘Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” His parents replied, “this is our son and he was born blind, but we don’t know who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” (John 9:19-22). The parents responded like that because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders and of being expelled from the synagogue.”

They said to the blind man, this Jesus is a sinner, give glory to God. The man said in John 9:^{25& 27} “I don’t know whether he is a sinner… But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” …Do you want to become his disciples, too?” And they cursed him out. The crippled man answered them back, ‘The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk and I obeyed him’ (paraphrased). How can you try to convince someone who Jesus healed that Jesus is unworthy? Both men had enough common sense to speak up for Jesus. God will restore your voice and give you a strong voice in your family, among your friends, and in your nation.

When they came to the crippled man with the technicalities of the law, the man’s response in essence was, ‘This Jesus is above the law!’ Your law says I cannot, but Jesus is above the law, and He says I can. I am here to say to you that there is one greater than the law and He is going to put aside every protocol for you in Jesus Name. The question to you is, will you be made well?

Prayer: Father, overrule every limitation of the law and lift me, in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!