Tuesday – April 12

²Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. ³ In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. ⁴ for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had ⁵ One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” ⁷ The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” ⁸ Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” (John 5:2-8)

He waited. He waited for 38 years. Or you could say he waited four hundred fifty-six months—or one thousand nine hundred seventy six weeks. Or, he waited for thirteen thousand eight hundred seventy days. Or, he waited for three hundred thirty two thousand eight hundred eighty hours.

He waited. He waited to be made well. Then Jesus came. 

Every day for 38 years, a man who could not walk waited by a pool called Bethesda near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem. He waited with others who were blind, who could not walk, or who could not even move. They all believed that if God would stir the water in the pool, and if they could be the first one in the water, they could be made well!

Then Jesus came to Jerusalem for a Jewish festival. He saw the man lying there. 

Jesus looked at the man and asked, “Do you want to get well?”

Did he want to get well? Hadn’t he waited by the pool for 38 years because he wanted to be made well? As an answer, the man explained that he could never get to the pool before other people had already done so.

His wait was over. Jesus simply said, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.”

Instantly the man was well. It was that simple. He could walk. With Jesus there was no waiting. He spoke and it was done.

We do not have to wait for Jesus. Jesus is waiting for us. He waits every year, every day, and every hour for people to tell Him they want to be made well from their sin. And every person who sincerely wants salvation will instantly be made well.

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