Lessons from Israel: Bethesda

There was a pool on the outskirts of Jerusalem that was said to have healing powers.  A sick or disabled person could find healing if they were able to slip into the pool when there was a disturbance in the water.  One man had been sitting beside this pool for years, hoping to get into the waters at just the right time and cure his inability to walk.  It was like buying a lottery ticket every day and hoping eventually your numbers would come up. After years without success, Jesus happens by and asks this man, “Do you want to get well?”  It seemed like a silly question. Of course he did. He just needed someone to help him into the pool at the right time. Rather than wait for that right time, Jesus simply heals him on the spot.

Healing comes from God.  Whether it happens through prayer and the laying on of hands or a doctor’s skill or a pool on the outskirts of town, God is the one who heals.  This story also reminds us that healing is on God’s timetable, not ours. I can’t tell you why God let this man wait years before giving him the use of his legs.  But I can tell you that it was perfect. I can tell you that God achieved everything he wanted to achieve through the manner and timing of this healing. You may be waiting for healing in your life.  In the face of that wait, it is easy to grow discouraged. Let faith remind you of this: your healing will be perfect. It will come at a time and in a way that will accomplish more in your life and in the world than you can even imagine.