Tuesday March 17, 2026

John 5:1-3,5-16

There was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now at the Sheep Pool in Jerusalem there is a building, called Bethzatha in Hebrew, consisting of five porticos; and under these were crowds of sick people – blind, lame, paralysed – waiting for the water to move. One man there had an illness which had lasted thirty-eight years, and when Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had been in this condition for a long time, he said, ‘Do you want to be well again?’

Our Lord probably went to Bethzatha every time he visited Jerusalem when he was with his parents and later when he went with his friends. And every year he saw this man. The poor man was struggling to get into the waters. Over the years he got weaker and weaker as age caught up with him and his condition got worse. But every year he came to the waters. I absolutely love his will power, his faith, his persistence. That alone preaches for me. Keep at it, try and try again, you must want really want this healing. Is there something you have been praying for these past few years? I have prayed for someone close to me to get out of alcohol addiction. Tell you what!!! This alcohol addiction is a whole nother beast. This one requires prayer and fasting. Nothing seems to work and yet every day I pray this person heals for this disease affects everyone. This disease has torn his family apart. I hope I don’t have to pray for 38 years. Because it’s not just prayer, it is heartache as well.

Secondly, do you know why the man in the scripture never got healed? At this place of healing it was every man for himself. The place of healing itself was sick. We need compassion people. We need to see and encourage each other. Jesus saw the man!!! How many times has Jesus actually seen someone? Countless times. He SEES you!!!