No One to Help

John 5:1-9 gives the story of the disabled man who was laying by the pool waiting for the "angel to come stir the waters. Whoever enters the pool first after the water was stirred would be healed. It says that this man had been disabled for 38 years. I don't know if he had been laying by the pool for all those years. But when Jesus appeared He saw this disabled man there—I picture him being very thin, with gnarled hands, deformed legs and helpless.

Then Jesus asked him a question "Do you want to be healed?" Wouldn't this be a ridiculous question when He saw the condition of this man? I mean wouldn't we all want to be healed if in this condition. After reading this account again, I decided that I am not so disabled after all.

What makes me sad is when the crippled man replied, "I have tried to get to the pool but someone always gets there before me. I have no one to help me." No one to help. That is one lonely person. We have been so blessed with all our many friends and family who have helped in every way possible. But NO ONE to help! Oh that is sad.

But Jesus had it all planned out. "Just get up and walk." Now that would take faith. For those of you who have always had 2 legs to walk on probably just thought, "that is easy, just walk." Well, at least for me, to get up and try to walk after many months of not doing so is very frightening. I always had a feeling of falling, not knowing if my leg and prosthesis would hold me. But I had help. Someone helped me.

The air was electrified around the pool when the man got up and started walking. Jesus was His help and hope. Jesus brought normalcy to his life again. Why did Jesus choose this man? Why does He choose to help you and me? He blesses us, and wants us to reach out and bless others.

I pray we will always reach out to help someone. I pray we will not pass by on the other side and ignore the hurting and lonely.

God bless you.