God IS love - John 5
Okay, first I must apologize for the confusing post on Luke 5. We're studying John right now and either I was too sleepy this morning or God wanted me to read Luke and John today. Either way, I'm leaving the Luke post anyway because I got a lot out of it. Here's the official daily post for John:
Every time I read the story of the poor man at the pool of Bethesda, I feel pity. Yet I always wonder how he tried for 38 years (that's only 13,870 attempts) to get into the pool when it bubbled with healing power. Okay, granted - maybe he was not there for the whole 38 years of his illness, we aren't told exactly how long he'd been there, but I can't help thinking that if he were really determined...
I do know there are a lot of hurting and sick people out there and Jesus is again walking slowly through the crowd seeking them out. This is in my mind not a place where you went when you wanted to hang out by the pool. But, Jesus was drawn there.
Imagine how this man's life was changed. This man was given a new lease on life. His first challenge was with the religious leaders who charged him with carrying his mat on the Sabbath day. I love the way Jesus responds to them:
19 Jesus replied, "I assure you, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and tells him everything he is doing, and the Son will do far greater things than healing this man. You will be astonished at what he does."
No matter the circumstances or the cost, Jesus is always looking for opportunities to love, heal and forgive. Why? Because that’s what His father does. God doesn’t just love, He IS love. He is defined by the word. And, like Jesus says here, the best is yet to come.
Peace,
e
