He spoke of the healings near the pool at Bethesda, where the impotent believed that after the troubling of the water whosoever first stepped in the pool was made whole of whatsoever ailment he had. The scripture in John 5:2-9 relates this touching moment...
“Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
“In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
“For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
“And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
“When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
“The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
“Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
“And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked.”
We sometimes have so little hope of restitution, as this man who endured his malady for 38 years. He hoped just being near the water would be enough. It was.
When ten lepers were healed of their leprosy...only one returned to thank the Savior and glorify God, and Jesus answered "but where are the nine?" I don't believe this was begrudgingly asked. I don't believe He was reprimanding them. On the contrary, he wanted to heal them
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
When we give thanks and show gratitude our lives improve and appreciation engenders hope. And when we struggle to forgive, we are not alone. We may draw on the power of Christ's Atonement for that's why He remains with us in our struggles and offers to help us bear our burdens.
Corrie ten Boom faced a Nazi guard that had been part of her grievous confinement. When he approached her, she could not smile. "I could not raise my hand to his." Though she had taught forgiveness, she could not of herself give it until she asked for strength through Christ.
Thus he commands us to rise above our own capacity, as he did to the man at the pool of Bethesda; and in so doing, He heals us. Perhaps, we long for "that healing to happen to me?" It can. His words are to us just as inviting as they were to the impotent man near the pool at Bethesda, to the leper along the journey to Jerusalem, and to Corrie ten Boom.
The impotent man at the pool at Bethesda, the grateful leper, and Corrie ten Boom were made whole and complete. "Wilt thou be made whole?" It's your choice.
All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Christ.
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