Fasting Devotion Day 19
READ
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" 7 "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." 8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat." 11 But he replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" 12 So they asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?" 13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. 14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. John 5:1-15
THINK
This story is one of the most powerful and heartbreaking in the gospels in some way. We have a broken man with the faith that if he could get in the presence of the power of God (stirred up angel water) he would be healed and yet for years he has tried to get close to that power and failed. Why are the faithful often ignored while the undeserving seem to be blessed? Jesus comes in and commands this man to get up and that man trusts Him enough to try! Whatever you are crawling through that seems like God has forgotten I want to encourage you to get up and start walking in that area. Jesus is with you and nothing is impossible!
What verse in this story is most memorable to you and why? What quality of God do we see in Jesus’ actions in this story?
Who do you most resonate with in this story? Jesus looking for someone in faith to touch? The paralyzed man convinced everyone can be healed but you? The pharisee frustrated that people can’t seem to follow God’s simple rules?
PRAY
Honestly talk to God about the healing that you or others you love need in their life. Jesus knew about this mans need before their conversation but until Jesus asked him if he wanted to be well he was content in his situation. Consider whether you truly want to God to bring spiritual, emotional, relational, or physical healing to your situation because if He does, everything will be different!
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" 7 "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." 8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat." 11 But he replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" 12 So they asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?" 13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. 14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. John 5:1-15
THINK
This story is one of the most powerful and heartbreaking in the gospels in some way. We have a broken man with the faith that if he could get in the presence of the power of God (stirred up angel water) he would be healed and yet for years he has tried to get close to that power and failed. Why are the faithful often ignored while the undeserving seem to be blessed? Jesus comes in and commands this man to get up and that man trusts Him enough to try! Whatever you are crawling through that seems like God has forgotten I want to encourage you to get up and start walking in that area. Jesus is with you and nothing is impossible!
What verse in this story is most memorable to you and why? What quality of God do we see in Jesus’ actions in this story?
Who do you most resonate with in this story? Jesus looking for someone in faith to touch? The paralyzed man convinced everyone can be healed but you? The pharisee frustrated that people can’t seem to follow God’s simple rules?
PRAY
Honestly talk to God about the healing that you or others you love need in their life. Jesus knew about this mans need before their conversation but until Jesus asked him if he wanted to be well he was content in his situation. Consider whether you truly want to God to bring spiritual, emotional, relational, or physical healing to your situation because if He does, everything will be different!