I just read the words in my Bible "And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us"...(John 1:14 NIV) God's divine truth, infused in Christ was sent here to walk among us and offer us eternal life and peace by belief in Him. Jesus never pushed or shoved, never threw an elbow to move people to believe; He simply spoke the Word, walked the Word and lived the Word in the daily grind and joys of life. Then, He waited for those around Him to decide.
Jesus inhabited space with us two thousand some years ago and still does; but, only if we allow Him in. This is not a one-way transaction. We must act. We must choose: Open up or keep sealed tight, holding His love and grace inches away behind the closed and locked gate of our hearts, or unbolt the door and welcome Him to enter into our life and change everything. If I am being honest, I sometimes choose Him, and sometimes I choose me. I like to be in charge, making things happen, and getting the credit too. It is when life crashes in and the wind blows too hard, knocking over my pride that I call out "Lord! I need you! Now!" It is easy and reassuring to choose to allow Him into those moments, asking Him to take charge in those crazy times when I have lost all control. When I can't seem to get a grip or find a foothold. It is also all too easy to not allow Him in when things are smooth and easy and feeding my ego-idol. I wish I did not act this way, but it is definitely baked into in me, much as I hate to admit it. When I read the story of the man at the Pool of Bethesda in the book of John chapter 5, it tugs at my heart and asks me too, "Do you want to be made well?" Jesus asked this poignant question of the unnamed man who was paralyzed for 38 long years. Many of us, myself included, wonder at first look, why Christ would ask this silly question. We think, "C'mon Jesus, of course he wants to be well, he's been helpless and paralyzed for over three decades!"
But, when I scrape just under the surface of my quick-trigger presumptions, I pause; maybe God is asking this same thing of us all. He is asking each of us to answer the question: "Do you want to really be healed?" Fully healed, inside and out, not just of a physical ailment, but of your broken and lost soul too? Ready to dig deep? Ready to get to the heart of the matter? The answer for me is Yes, please, yes! I am in dire need of Him to make me well in the areas of gentleness and humbleness. I can't do this alone. This is a walking alongside Jesus daily-thing. I will choose today to unchain the locks and let Him in. Oh the freedom in releasing it to Him! Now, I must do this tomorrow, the next day, and the next. Are you feeling a need to be made well too? Are you ready for finding joy? It is just a choice away...
Question for our hearts: What is it that you want to be made well from (released from) by Christ today?
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