Suggested Reading: John 5:1-17

Get up, take up your bed, and walk. And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.—John 5:8,9

Living from our healed or whole places is a courageous way to live.

Jesus healed the man waiting by the pool. John says this man had been sick about 38 years. That’s a long time to endure any kind of bodily affliction. People who suffer with chronic illness or disease know what this feels like. It can be physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually exhausting; all consuming.

All in one day this man went from being an invalid to being one who could walk on his own two legs and live a brand-new life, or at least a life he had not been able to live for quite some time.  

When we are sick with any condition for any length of time we learn to adjust to that condition. If our mobility is limited due to our condition, we may become used to being sedentary. If we have digestive issues or diseases, we may become used to limiting what we eat or drink and having a very short list of things that do not cause us discomfort. If we have been emotionally damaged, we become very protective of our heart and interactions with others. Because this man had not been able to walk on his own, he had learned to depend upon others to transport him and put him in the pool. But Jesus’ healing gave him not just physical mobility, but independence.

Everywhere he went, Jesus healed people. No wonder people would line the streets when they heard he was coming to their town or village. Because they knew if Jesus even crossed your path you were going to be healed. God intended that Christ would heal all sickness and disease.

Once Jesus had ascended into heaven the Apostles were given the ability to heal people as part of their ministry so the world could see and experience the power of God at work; even to heal our infirmities. But in modern times we do not always see or experience this type of miracle. It is not because we are doing anything wrong, are not faith-filled enough, or that God does not love us as much, but because God has deigned to work great faith in the way of trusting him and being patient for healing to come. Sometimes we are suffering or learning to cope with physical ailments all through life. If we are not healed immediately or while we live in this body how does God want us to cope with that?   

My husband has a funny story from his teen years. It seems he and one of his brothers decided to bake some brownies. It was late and while the brownies were baking, they both fell asleep. When they woke up the brownies were not only done, but they were also cooked to a crisp; a nice way to say burnt! Because they were hungry, they made a decision not to throw the brownies out, but instead they poked around until they discovered a place right in the center of the pan that was soft enough to cut through and that’s the spot they ate out from. Sometimes I remind him no wonder his stomach does not trust him to this day!

In this way, we can understand God’s encouragement for us whenever we suffer anything that lingers, that is not healed right away or at all, on earth. Because God knows any chronic illness can consume us, make us feel cut off from life, debilitate us on so many levels, he asks us to search for that one place—even if it is deep within us—that is already healed, healthy, or strong and live from that place. If our body is weakened or sick, but our interior is strong; then we can live from there. If our heart has been wounded but our physical body is strong, then we can live from there. From those healed places Jesus will bring and manifest healing and bring joy and fulfillment into our lives.

When our son was a little boy, we discovered he had a hearing loss. It was by instinct and observation we had him checked. He had never complained of not being able to hear. But the tests revealed he could not hear in his left ear. Why did it take so long to discover this? Because on his own he had learned to live/hear from his good ear.        

We may be broken in life, deeply hurt, physically sick, inwardly, or outwardly wounded, but if we can find that one little spot within us that is not broken; that little space that has not been hurt or violated; that tiny piece of us that is still intact and learn live from that place then we can experience Christ’s power to lead us out to new life and wholeness.

Lord God, the things we will endure and experience in these bodies of ours while living on earth! Our experiences run the life-gamut and often we are struggling to just keep on pushing through, feeling life is diminished because of our inner or outer wounds or sicknesses. Grant that we may all discover that one piece or dimension of our being that is healed, healthy, or whole and live from that place as we await the day Jesus will speak total healing. Grant that we will trust you and be content to be cared for by your powerful hand as long as we live. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen

Courageous Living: How does the thought of finding that one place where you are already healthy, healed or whole encourage you to live courageously from that place until Christ grants healing to the rest of you?