1536) The passage of John 5 used to confuse me. Here, in the first 15 verses, Jesus speaks to and heals a man who had been lame for 38 years. No, it’s not the healing that was confusing to me; instead, it was something Jesus says in verse 6.

In this verse, Jesus walks over to the man and asks him an unusual question; “Do you want to be healed?” Why would Jesus ask a man who has suffered for 38 years if he wants to be delivered from it? It seems like the question would not need to be asked. Could it be that sometimes, for many reasons, people really don’t want to get better?

It’s also interesting to read what the man’s reply to Jesus was. “I don’t have anyone to help me get into the (healing) waters, so I cannot even hope to be healed.”

The man clearly did not know the grace and healing Jesus offers and yet, when Jesus looks right at him and tells him to get up, pick up his mat and walk, the man doesn’t hesitate. He stands right up, accepting Jesus’ grace and healing and does as Jesus told him.

Isn’t it interesting that grace can be something we sometimes fear? May we learn to accept grace rather than staying in the “mess” we know.