In the previous chapter of John, we saw Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman about life-giving water. In this chapter, the scene is set at the pool of Bethesda, whose waters were said to have healing qualities. What we see here is Jesus superseding these waters and putting an end to the thirty-eight year wait of a crippled man. Like the Samaritan woman this man was transformed by the water of life, that is, by the Spirit of God. And what was the prerequisite for this miracle? It was the same as in the case of the Samaritan woman. Jesus said to her that all she need do was ask and he would give her this life-giving water. In the case of the man at the pool it was the same. Jesus asked him: “Do you want to get well?” The only prerequisite for receiving the transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit in your life is to want it. If you want to be transformed he will transform your life. If you are happy with the way you are, and if you don’t want God to disturb your life, then he won’t. If God seems distant to you it may be because you have not desired his transforming presence in your life. It may be that you really don’t want to change. But if you want to be transformed all you need to do is ask. Even if there is much within you that repels this request, ask and keep asking God to transform you, even if there are conflicting feelings within you. ‘Do you want to get well?’
Do what I have suggested.
Read John 5:1-15
