It was almost eleven years ago, while reading daily from the devotional work, One Year with Jesus, that I wrote in my journal: "One of the most profound questions Jesus ever asked."
The event is recorded in John 5:1-9. A bunch of people are gathered around a particular pool in Jerusalem because a legend stated that, from time to time, an angel would stir the water in the pool and whoever got in first when that happened would be healed of whatever sickness or infirmity they suffered from.
One particular invalid had been unable to walk for 38 years. The inference is that he had been laying there by the pool, trying to be the first one in whenever the waters moved, for most of that time.
Thirty-eight years.
No wonder Jesus went up to the man and asked, "Do you want to get well?"
Now, the story has a happy ending, but it's this question in the middle of the tale that caused me to stop dead in my tracks.
DO you want to get well?
Do YOU want to get well?
Do you WANT to get well?
Do you want to get WELL?
Well?
Do you?
* * * * * * *
Truth is...there are some things about me that I SAY I wish were different, but I wonder if Jesus looks at me, grins to himself, and asks the very same question.
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