English Devotion - Hope to the Hopeless

Hope to the Hopeless

John 5:1-16

This man at the pool at Bethesda was weak, feeble, and unable to stand, unable to walk for 38 years.

There was a great crowd of people paralyzed, blind, lame, sick all waiting for the water to be troubled. Out of that crowd, Jesus picked one man.

He did not empty the five porches, healing everybody.

He did not invite them all to come down so that he might lay hands on them.

He went to only one man.

It shows us how God proposes to deal with human helplessness and weakness. Undoubtedly it was the helplessness of this man that drew Jesus to him.

We all can see ourselves, in a sense, helpless, weak, crippled and lame, lying at the pool of Bethesda. We all need help.

We all find ourselves paralyzed at times, unable to do the thing we want. We find we are lame: we do not walk very well spiritually.

There are many people today who do not want to be healed.

They do not want to receive divine help for their problems.

They do not want to be helped out of their weakness.

They love their weakness, their helplessness.

They are always craving the attention of others through their helplessness.


Jesus asked, Do you want to be healed? He said, Yes, I want to be healed, but I cannot. I've tried, I've done everything I know-how.

I want to get into that water, I want to be healed, but I lack the ability.

 I've no one to help me. I've given up. I have no hope.

There are people who have given up on their situation, refusing to believe there is any hope it can be done and changed.

They see no way, from a human viewpoint, so they have resigned themselves to being weak, failing for the rest of their lives.

Perhaps you do not see any hope for your marriage in your personal life. You have tried to correct things.

You have asked for help but nobody seems to care; it only gets worse.

Many people are right where this man was, with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness of making any change.

Jesus said, "Rise, take up your bed, and walk.

First, he asks an impossible thing; secondly, he removes all possibility of a relapse; and thirdly, he expects continued success. All these are involved in the words.

There is always something God tells us to believe, and do, and act on.

This is a word of action.

Jesus does not say, Try to build up faith in your mind. Try to fasten your thoughts.

He says, Rises! Stand up, Walk, Don't turn back.

Now the man is in trouble over the Sabbath restrictions. . One of those ways was carrying any kind of a load on the Sabbath day.

The religious leaders had an intent to obey the Law, but were totally unconcerned about the mercy of God.

Later, Jesus found him. The man had gone to the temple because the Law required that one who had been healed had to make a thanksgiving offering.

Jesus knew where to find him. He said You are made whole.

The fact is that not only he has been physically healed, he has been spiritually healed too.

His sins had been forgiven; he had been washed, he had been cleansed.

He is a new man physically, spiritually, and soulfully.

To that person who has received the gift of wholeness from God, without any merit or earning on his part.

This is the Gospel you and i are called to share to those people who are hopeless. When they come to Jesus, they will become whole.
Prayer:

Dear Lord, help us to rise up and walk and not to be in a position of self-pity. Help us to bring hope to those who are hopeless and we pray that you make us whole again. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Blessings & Prayers 

Pastor. Bobby Leonard