Addicted To God (Part 2)

“Now there is...a pool, which is called...Bethesda...And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. ~ John 5:1-5

They beg the doctor for a solution, but in those days there was no solution. Jacob would have to live his life without legs. Now in those days there was no state aid. There were no wheelchairs. At the age of one year old he had been condemned never to be wed, never to have a family, and never to understand any of the joys of society but only to live life as a cripple.

Finally after growing up as a cripple, he hears of this miraculous pool called Bethesda. It was said that an angel would come down from heaven and stir the water there. It was said that whoever would step in the water would be healed of any disease or illness that they had. I can imagine as this man’s eyes light up. He gets some friends to carry him to this pool and he begins to wait for the stirring of the water.

But when he arrives he is saddened to find that there are many people there. There are many people who are trying to get in the water. Eventually the water is stirred and he begins to crawl toward the water. But before he can get into the water someone else steps in and his opportunity is gone. The tears begin down his eyes as he is so disappointed but he determines that he will stay closer to the water and crawl faster next time. But again someone steps in before him. And it goes on like this not for days, not for weeks, not for months, not for years, but for decades as this man sat with this disease for thirty-eight years.

His Desire Outweighed All The Obstacles

Friends, I am only twenty three and I will be the first one to tell you that I have no idea what it might have been like for him to have stayed there for thirty eight years.

But somehow this man’s desire to be healed was stronger than any of his disappointments. This man’s desire to be made whole was stronger than any of his loneliness. This man’s desire for God to do a work in his life was stronger than any of his obstacles and he remained at the pool of Bethesda, his place of hope for thirty eight years! His desire was so strong for God to do a work in his life that he waited thirty eight years without ever giving up.

To Be Continued on Tuesday...