In Plain Sight.

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. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that  condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
John 5:4, 6-9 NKJV


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Talk about answering the wrong question. Christ asked the man by the pool, let’s call him Henry, if he wanted to be healed and he went on a long explanation about how he cannot move to beat others into the pool. Was he hard of hearing, didn’t he understand the question or was the question beyond the possibility of his imagination?

I will let you decide on that one.

Henry could not wrap his mind around the reality that there is another option. History said that the only way to get well, was to get into the pool before others. He saw no other way so his heart was heavy and his face was long because he couldn’t see a way to get healed. When an alternative was placed before him, it is impossible to see it because it’s based on an impossibility.

Does that sound like you?

Are you moving steadily, hearing clearly, adjusting appropriately to the instructions or are you unaware of what is going on or how you need to be?

Henry caught my attention because of how blinded he was to possibilities and alternatives. A solution was right in front of his nose and he couldn’t even recognise it. Most of us would say it isn’t his fault because he was unexposed to options but something else comes to mind. He was living in a time when Christ was around and stories about Him healing and performing miracles abounded so could it be that he didn’t believe in healing or that he didn’t know it was Christ talking to him?

What blocked his view?

A lack of knowledge had him bound and stuck because he couldn’t see beyond his face. In fact, everyone at the pool was totally focused on getting into the water that they couldn’t see other possible options. They were so focused on the water that they didn’t even see the conversation or healing.

Is that you and me?

Do we see what is available around us or are we so stuck in the way we were raised and how we have lived so far that we are blinded? That is the thing we need to figure out.

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