1) "Rise" or some translations read, "Get up": The largest leaps I made in my own growth and healing came when I decided to stop sugar coating my excuses. I had to agree to quit drowning myself in complacency and make a choice to get up. Jesus wouldn't heal the man and leave him there on his mat. What a waste that would be! Its impossible for us to change and grow, yet stay where we are at. There will be movement. And Jesus clearly expected movement from this invalid when he said, "Rise". Take notice that Jesus didn't say crawl or back out. No! Jesus commands this man to stand up, stand with confidence. So many times I've half heartedly believed in Jesus' commands in my own life and opted to crawl or tip toe from point A to point B. But Jesus clearly wants us to have faith to walk in boldness and stand on the firm foundation that is Him. Jesus is the one empowering your change, your healing. You and I, by ourselves, can't perform the transformation. The invalid couldn't heal himself....he couldn't even get himself into the pool. Jesus had to get involved. When we realize that our only job is to rise in faith, the rat race of trying so hard to fix ourselves will end. Doesn't that sound great? Isn't that just like a spiritual dose of Calgon? What a shot of relief!!!
2) Jesus told the man to "pick up your mat": I look at this turn of phrase and can see Jesus telling me to pick up and pack out and by the way, be quick about it! Jesus doesn't want us to flip a coin....he wants us to pick up our mat in faith! Jesus had something different for this invalid, but the man had to choose to act in a different manner. This is the point where his faith, and our faith, is exercised. For 38 years the invalid had sat. Just sat there, on his mat. Now Jesus comes on the scene and tells him to not only get up, but pack up too. This was something completely different than the man's normal routine. A lot of times I've caught myself asking Jesus to work in my life, but I am not always willing to actually do anything different. I don't want to be pushed out of my comfort zone. This man was pushed right off his mat. It was a physical acting out of his faith. When we choose to pick up our mat and do something different, our faith is evident.
3) Lastly Jesus told the man to "walk": Jesus tells the man to go forward, move on, leave the past behind. Again, I've asked for change and growth and when I start to see it, I've allowed fear and feelings of unworthiness, distractions, and doubt drive me back to the past. Jesus commanded the man to walk. There was no question about it. In order for the invalid to see complete wholeness, he had to move forward, leave the pool behind and fully embrace a new life. Isn't this the promise of grace - that we don't have to exist in guilt and condemnation? Then why do we strap ourselves down to the baggage that fills our pasts? Jesus has forgiven that and wants to truly set us free from it, but we have to be willing to walk forward. Paul says it best when he says, "forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead (Phillip. 3:13).". This is the life of freedom, walking forward, moving in the power of Christ. Death is standing still, stagnant and not evolving. John 8:36 says to the believer, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."
So where are you? Do you want to be healed, changed, transformed? Are ready to experience a new life? There's plenty of room for those who aren't ready to continue to lounge by the pool.
One last thing I want to bring to your attention. Jesus singled out this one man. The choice to change isn't a popular one. In fact, later in the chapter you can see that this invalid's transformation came up against some opposition. There will be some who don't think you need to change and they won't like it if you do. If that is too much for you, then stay at the pool. But if the pain of remaining the same is greater than the fear of change, then rise, pick up your mat and walk!
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