Once upon a time there was a man with no name,
yet was labeled as the
INVALID who
for thirty-eight years was laying by the healing pool with the others~
the sick
the lame
the blind
the paralyzed~
who were
"...waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had" (John 5:4).
Who would it be this time?
The one JESUS spoke to~
the INVALID~
"Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6)
Now what a silly question to ask an INVALID
who was waiting for 38 years by the healing pool.
Or was it?
The INVALID responds that no one would help him into the pool.
Maybe he never asked anyone to help because
he was beyond hopeless and just embraced his hopeless state
as time kept ticking away.
The same JESUS saw the one who was labeled
THE BLIND MAN
and asked him a question~
"What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41)
Now what a silly question to ask a blind man.
Or was it?
And then there was the one labeled
THE PARALYZED MAN
who was dropped through the ceiling on his mat
to where JESUS was in order to receive healing.
Did JESUS ask him~
"Do you want to get well" or "What do you want me to do for you?"
HE didn't have to.
HE saw the FAITH of the friends who went to great lengths
to bring their friend to JESUS.
No questions asked,
yet he received a complete healing~
“Son, your sins are FORGIVEN" (Mark 2:5).
But would he ever walk again?
For JESUS asked the others a question and then HE answered
to the INVALID~
“'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' And immediately the man was made well,
took up his bed, and walked"(John 5:8-9)
To the BLIND MAN
"'Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.' Immediately he received his sight and followed JESUS praising GOD" (Luke 18:42-43).
To the PARALYZED MAN~
, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Is that it?
Oh yes that is it.
That is all that is needed.
For if you have FORGIVENESS you can not only walk,
but you can run and sing and dance~
"YOU turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my GOD, I will praise you forever" (Psalm 30:11-12)
For
FORGIVENESS is TOTAL HEALING.
Not only was the PARALYZED MAN FORGIVEN,
but he also was dancing and singing~
"But, in order that you may know that the SON of MAN has authority and power on earth to forgive sins—HE said to the paralyzed man, ' I say to you, get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.' He immediately stood up before them, picked up his stretcher, and went home glorifying and praising GOD" (Mark 5:24-25)
Hmm.
Would you rather stay an INVALID or BLIND or PARALYZED
or be UNLEASHED from every wrong doing you did or may do
the moment you answer the question~
"Do you want to get well?"
with a big
YES JESUS I BELIEVE!
Oh BLOOMING FORGIVENESS
for
FORGIVENESS is total healing from yourself.
for
FORGIVENESS Un~paralyzes your heart
that Un~blinds you so that you
not only see but experience
HIS UNCONDITIONAL
FAVOR & FREEDOM
because
that is why JESUS did what HE did
so we can LIVE the
"THE WAY I WAS MADE" (listen to the song below)