Do You Want To Be Made Well? - Daily Devotional October 13th 2009

Daily Bible Reading - 2 Chronicles 1-2, Ezekiel 39, John 5

Do you want to be made well?

This story at the beginning of John 5 is such a fascinating story to me. So many people crippled, lame or blind were just laying there waiting and longing to be healed. Everyone that walks by knows that they have issues and that all they want is to be better so that they can get on with life. Now this is obviously something that is very natural and historically took place but the principles that are seen here can be applied to any situation we encounter in life.

When Jesus walks by this multitude he approaches the toughest case because he approaches the guy that has probably been there the longest as it says in vs. 6, "that he already had been in that condition a long time". Jesus asks this paralyzed guy a question that no one else had asked him because it seems so obvious. Jesus asks, “Do you want to be made well?” When I first read this I thought to myself how absurd it is that Jesus, who is God, who knows everything would ask such an obvious question. But, it is this question that shows the most powerful principle in the world to access a change in our life. That principle is simply this, if you want to be made well than you can be made well, or if you really want to change then you can change.

After Jesus asked this man the question and the man makes several excuses Jesus just cuts right to the point and says, "'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked" (John 5:8-9). Jesus did not entertain his complaints or talk with him about how bad things were. Jesus really goes back to His original question, "do you want to be made well" by saying get up and walk. In other words, if you really want to change then change. I believe that if we would apply this simple question to our life and exert some will power that we could cut out half the issues, sins and problems that are in our life because if you really want to change you can change.

It says in 2 Peter 1:3 that He has given us all things we need for life and godliness and in Proverbs 18:21 that there is power in our words. We need to access the things that God has made available to us and the power of our words by speaking positive over every area of our life. The problem is that we tend to surround ourselves with others that are dealing with the same issues we are, just like this paralyzed man did. He surrounded himself with other paralyzed, lame and blind people. These people could not help him with his issue as he states in vs. 7, "... I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up". Many of us tend to do the same thing thus we get stuck in our issue until someone comes along and says, "do you really want to change?" Just look around and you will see it, those that are dealing with insecurity find their friendships in other insecure people. Those that are having pride issues surround themselves with other prideful people. Those that are dealing with lust surround themselves with others dealing with lust.

My question for you today is, "do you want to be made well or do you really want to change?" If you truly do you can. You must begin to surround yourself with the right people, people that can help you get out of your issue. Church is a good place to start. I love how the Bible points out in vs. 9 that this all took place on the Sabbath. If you get yourself in church you will find other people that can help you with your issue or at least are working through their issues. People who really want to change make a change in who they hang out with. Also if you want to change you must apply 2 Peter 1:3 and Proverbs 18:21.

Do you really want to change?

Tomorrows Bible Reading - 2 Chronicles 3-4, Ezekiel 40, John 6

Dream Big
Ben