Thursday, January 18, 2007
John 5:8-9 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
GET UP AND GO!
When you were a child, did your parents ever answer one of your questions with the words: "Because I said so!" Our parents didn't need our permission or an explanation to demand or expect something of us. Would an explanation really have mattered?
Well, Jesus didn't offer the crippled man a reason he should get up either. He simply said, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." Do it because I tell you to. While my dad said "because I said so", it didn't empower me to do what he said. However, Jesus word bears with it the power to act. Take up your bed -- you won't need it again. Walk -- you won't need to be carried again. He was enabled to do what he was told by Jesus the healer of the crippled.
What do we learn from this? Jesus is the Son of God, whose word is powerful, can heal the crippled.
If we were skeptics we might ask: Then why are we ever sick? Why are some in a wheelchair while others have strength in their limbs to walk? Does Jesus love some more than others? Is it that he has overlooked the needs of some? Oh, that the answer were a simple one. Why do we grow sick and weak? Why disease and death? When sin entered this world so did weakness and death. We live in a broken world, in broken and degrading bodies. If it were not for the intervention of the Son of God, we would have nothing but this and eternal death ahead of us.
Physical weakness and disease are part of this world. Those who trust in Jesus the healer of the crippled know that there will be an end of this disease and weakness. Of this we have the promise of God Himself, who tells us (Philippians 3:20-21):
"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, it's glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see.
O Thou, who changest not, abide with me.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for ev'ry plea.
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
(TLH 552:2,4)
