Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

June 30, 2018

by Pastor Hawtree

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO MAKE US WHOLE (part 3)

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

This man at the pool of Bethesda was DISABLED, and he was DESPERATE. I notice also, here in verse seven, that this man was DISAPPOINTED.

• 7 “Sir, I have no man”

May I ask you a question today? Have you ever been disappointed? Have you ever needed someone, only to be let down by the person you needed. I mean this man was not asking for something really complicated. He wasn’t asking anybody to figure out how to heal is disease. He wasn’t asking someone to come up with some medicine that would cure him. He wasn’t asking for someone to take care of him every day. He wasn’t asking for an individual to cook his food, dress him every day, and care for his every need. I mean, I would have understood if he had, because this man could barely do anything for himself. He wasn’t asking for a lifetime of sacrifice. He wasn’t asking for someone to take a month out of their life to help him. He was not requesting a week of care to be given him. He wasn’t even asking for something that would take a whole day, or even half a day. He just needed someone to help push him to the water. You could say he just needed a little push. Have you ever needed just a little push?

Time and again, this man had seen others get into the pool ahead of himself. Time and again, his dreams of a completely whole life were shattered. Time and again, he was forced to drag his broken body back to his old pallet and wait for yet another time of disappointment! Year after year, day after day, decade after decade. Thirty-eight years this has been going on and then Jesus has the nerve to show up and ask him this question in verse six:

• 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

Really, Jesus? Pardon me, but what an obvious, ridiculous question. Of course, this man wanted to be made whole. He wouldn’t have been there if he didn’t want to be made whole. He would not have laid there for thirty-eights years if he did not want to be made whole. Everything this man had tried, and everyone he had tried to trust, have all failed him. You and I meet people every day that just need a little nudge, a little push, a little word, a little comment, a little truth, a little smile, or just one person that cares. No matter what peace man tries to bring to his soul, it can only be found through the blood of Christ. Disappointed people need to find the way. Desperate, and disabled people need others to push them to the water, encourage them in their lives, and to lovingly give hope that comes straight from Jesus Christ. Let’s you and I do that today and start changing the world one person at a time.