November 6 "Waiting 38 Years" John 5:7

The sun will rise this morning

on the sick, the blind, the lame.

On all of us withered in our souls.

Will we rise and walk?

38 years is a very long time not to be well. By our sinful nature, we are all--- 

Sick. Blind. Lame. Withered in our souls. And. 

Cured by this Christ. All.  

I cannot fathom this crippled man, waiting & hoping it will happen to him

for almost four decades of his life.  Did he just live by the pool?

And look at his response to Jesus' question: "Do you wish to get well?" 

He believed it would happen if just someone were there to help him. 

No relative. No friend. No passer-by. No Good Samaritan.

For 38 years. 13,870 days.  

God kept this man; kept account of his every day.  

Yet, the hurting man's response is not a demeaning one. 

Humbly spoken: "I have no man to put me in…" John 5:7. 

"Arise and walk."

And the lame man walked straight to the temple

even though he did not know who this Healer was.

When our good friends do not respond to our well wishes; when our family stiff arms us in distance; when our community passes us by unnoticed; let us pick up our pallet, rise up and walk, and go to the temple. For that's where you'll find cured, healed, whole souls. The temple. They go to Jesus so that they may have life. They search the Scriptures to find Jesus not to worship the Word, not to worship the temple. John 5:39-40. "Come to Me, so that you may have life."  Arise and walk.

PRAYER FROM PSALMS
Psalm 105:4 - Father, we seek You LORD and Your Strength. We seek Your Presence continually!