Today I am writing my blog post for Crossway Ministries for the last time. I am retiring from Crossway Ministries on April 1st, 2020. Off and on, it has been 28 years since I first started counseling with the late founder and director Jim Stephens.
I say off and on because there was an eight-year period when I was living two hours away, had an eight-hour job that consumed much of my time and energy.
With this last opportunity, I want to share with you a question I asked every counselee that I interviewed. This question is in the title. “Do you want to get well?” After getting acquainted with the counselee, I would then segue into John 5:1-9, where Jesus ask this question of a person who had been on a pallet for 38 years. As I read this story, I call attention to a few, often overlooked details. As some say the “devil is in the details”, and while the devil is not there, the truth to being set free from his pallet, lies in these details.
To have them participate in this story, I ask them for a minute to pretend they don’t know Jesus. By the way, when this man was asked later who healed him, he did not have a clue. So, in that day obviously, it was not at all uncommon for some not to know anything about Him. And because he did not know who He was, then the question Jesus ask him was legitimate and sane. However, most that come to Crossway have some knowledge of Jesus, so it is very difficult to pretend they don’t know anything about Him.
Now to their participation. This scene is set among a multitude of sick people. And ALL these sick people are in a waiting mode if you will. They are waiting for these waters to be stirred and as they understand, when that happens, the first to get in would be healed from their ailments. Can you imagine the rush to the water if that were to happen? It would be like an unorganized fire drill. Everybody trying to get down there first and they probably did not care who they pushed aside or ran over on the way to the water. However, the man Jesus was talking to had never been successful in his attempt to get well. And we assume he had been trying this same method every chance he got. Does that sound like some of you reading this? You have been trying to get well the same old way and have never succeeded? You would think that this man would have given up long ago. I am sure he was frustrated, but still ventured down just in case he could get in the water. Now Jesus enters the scene and goes straight to this man. And as he engages him, He has his medical record already in His mind. John tells us that Jesus knew he had been in this condition for 38 years. That is an important piece of information that we needed to know. This is where I ask my counselee to pretend, they don’t know this man asking the man this question, “Do you want to get well?” I look at the person or couple and ask them, “Now what kind of question is that?” They are very hesitating, as you can imagine, because it is very difficult for them to pretend they don’t know Jesus. Most times I must prompt them with the answer. On the surface, it looks like a foolish question! John is very careful to tell us that Jesus knew he had been that way for 38 years, and on top of that he is in the place where people come to get well. Duh!!!
Then I ask them to quit pretending and let’s get real, we all know Jesus to some degree. One thing we would not accuse Him of is asking FOOLISH questions. So why did He ask this man that one question? My conclusion: everybody does not want to get well! Shut the front door!! That is crazy you might say! However, after 28 years, I can say more people don’t want to get well than do want to get well. How can that be? Let us listen to the sick man’s answers and we can find out why Jesus healed him, and at the same time find out why many don’t get well. The man answered Jesus with one sentence, but two reasons he had not succeeded in 38 years of trying. He told Jesus, “I don’t have anyone to put me into the pool when it is stirred up, and when I try to get there myself, I never can make it!” What is he telling Jesus that triggers Jesus to respond? What he is really saying, “I cannot depend on myself to get to the water, and I cannot depend on anyone else to get me there. I am at the end of trying on my own to get well.” Did you read that? He can’t get there because he does not have the resources to get the job done.
Then the miracle happened. Jesus told him, “Get up!” What? Shut the front door again! Jesus ask him to do something He had never been able to do for 38 years!! Wow! What happened? Immediately, John said the man got up and not only got up, he carried his pallet with him. Healed from 38 years of a life on a pallet. All because he had come to the end of his ability to fix his hopeless situation!
Now for the question for any of you reading this: Do you want to get well? Be careful how you answer this. It may mean three things for you. First it may mean you will have to cease from trying to fix your situation yourself; it may mean you can’t depend on someone else to fix it either. third the thing that will close the deal: are you willing to do what Jesus says for you to get well? Oh, “Yes” you might say; However, remember he ask this man to do something he had never been able to do for 38 years: To get up.
Maybe what is making you “sick” is some unresolved anger, some unresolved bitterness that has become a root in you. Maybe it might mean you may have to forgive someone who has hurt you so badly. It has governed your life and you take that hurt out on anyone you can. He may ask you to forgive and release this person from the debt they owe you.
Reader, do you want to get well? If you need more assistance, please Contact us today to make an appointment for counseling in Anderson or to attend a Seminar or schedule an Event. Call 864-224-5557 or use the form on our web site.
Till we meet again,
Butch Morrison