August 3, 2013 (Nahum 1-3; John 5)
From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:
Scripture: “But Jesus replied, ‘My Father is always working, and so am I.'” John 5:17 NLT
Observation: Jesus came upon a sinful man that had been sick for 38 years. Jesus asked him, “Would you like to get well?” He replied, ‘I can’t sir, for I have no one to put me in the pool when the water bubbles up.’ Jesus told him to stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!’ Instantly he did. However this miraculous healing took place on the wrong day to please the Jews. In the eyes of the Jews Jesus had sinned by healing on the Sabbath day, and He also caused the healed man to sin by instructing him to pick up his mat. The Jews were so blinded by rules they missed the opportunity to do good for God. Jesus said, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” Praise the Lord, God may rest but He never stops working! Jesus later saw the healed man and told him, ‘Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”
Application: Thank the Lord above that He never stops working. He is always moving on our behalf and is strategically getting things done. His timing is perfect and he knows what we have need of even before we ask. Yet there is more to this story than what may first appear. The man was sick and sinning and had been in this condition for 38 years. So why would Jesus ask him if he wanted to be healed? I mean, wasn’t that obvious? Well take a look at the actions this man took immediately following his miraculous healing. He didn’t know who had healed him so he could not tell the Jews who it was that told him to pick up his mat and walk on the Sabbath. But after Jesus saw him later in the Temple and told him to stop sinning, the first thing he did was run tell the Jews who it was that healed him. It was Jesus. From that day forward the Jews sought to find ways to kill Jesus. Did this man stop sinning, or did he continue to sin by betraying the one that healed him?
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Thank You for always working, even when we don’t see the results immediately. Help me be faithful to You at all times. Plant a desire for You within my soul and cause me to feast at Your table daily. Thank You for Your patience and strength Lord, in Jesus name, Amen!