The man at Bethesda.

Lately I have heard a few sermons on the man at Bethesda. You know the story.

In case you dont here is a synopsis. There is a guy. He is badly malformed, paralyzed somehow. He has been for most of his life. In his town there is a pool, a pond or small lake with a spring that is famed to heal people. The legend says that once in a while the water would begin to swirl, this was believed to be caused by angels, or God or whatever, but the first person in the pool when this occured was legend to be healed.

He believed he could be healed by the water, and sat by the pool for 38 years. (GAH! thats a long time) But when Jesus came to him and asked him why he had not been healed he said " I dont have anyone to put me into the water when the water stirs" Jesus just said. "Take up your bed and walk"

The messages Ive heard (three different preachers, three different sermons Think someone is trying to say something to me?) Have been not about the miracle, but making excuses. Jesus asked the man. Why havent you recieved your miracle. And the man handed him an excuse. Granted it was pretty valid. But how many of us dont have a valid excuse for not recieving our miracle? Do we like to lay in our filth and revel in our pain? Do we enjoy blaming, god, or whomever else for whatever we happen to be going through? Maybe.

Sometimes things cant be helped. They happen. Bad things do. Its the nature of life. Stuff breaks, people die, and $7000 mistakes get made on tax returns (ugh) A theme in my life lately is the way that I deal with my problem. Do I accept my situation and move on? Or do I sit on my bed and make excuses as to why things cant get better or resolve?

A friend recently said this.

Got a problem? Pray about it. Now go play.