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Choose life! 15 Dec 2008
'Do you want to be made well?' JOHN 5:6
He hasn't walked for 38 years, the pool didn't have lifeguards to help, and there are no Stannah stair lifts like oldies have to help them up and down the stairs. So when Jesus rocks up and asks this dude '..."Do you want to be made well?"' it may seem like a bit of a 'well duuh' moment! But actually, He asked it to make the guy think. He obviously wanted to be well, but had he thought about what that would mean to his life; would he take responsibility for himself, look after others as well as himself, what job would he get to earn a living?
When we ask God for stuff, we need to be prepared for His answer; it might come with an instruction to change. Sometimes, God's solution is a challenge to us. You're stuck for money? God says 'Ok, here's a paper round!'. He solves the problem, but we have to change too; you can't just sit on your butt and treat God like a free vending machine! The good news is, solving bigger problems brings bigger rewards.
So ask God to stretch you today by helping you '...take up your bed and walk' (John 5:8 NKJV). Throw away that dependency and helplessness and move on to bigger and better things. Be prepared to do what God asks, and you'll see a change. Choose life; God's way.
written by Bob Gass
