RISE UP & WALK!

John 5:1-30

Friday, 05 September 2025

“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time; he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" -John 5:6 

In John 5:1-15 we see a person who has been sick for 38 years lying near the pool, Bethesda. During these long 38 years, he was expecting a miracle in his life, a life changing moment. But nothing happened in these all years. May be he might have been totally broken. Here comes Jesus with a question “Do you want to be healed?” We may wonder at Jesus’ question – was it really necessary to ask, while it was obvious? Jesus’ question was more like asking, “DO YOU HAVE HOPE?” The sick person’s response was just about his circumstances and inabilities (John 5:7).

If we look into our lives too, we may have been behaving in a similar manner—complaining about our situations, walking without any hope, cursing our luck, while staying very close to Jesus. However, Jesus didn’t seem to be concerned about the sick man’s complaints and circumstances, He commanded him to Rise up, Takeup his bed and walk! (V.8) This applies to us as well—see what these 3 commands mean to us today:

“Rise up”: When we invite Jesus into our lives, He comes into our “dead” life in sin and then raises us up (Ephesians 2:1). He does it purely because of His love towards us (John 3:16). There is a lasting change that happens in each of us when we heed to His words – which is imperishable (1 Peter 1:23). When He raised us up from our dead state, there is a purpose and that is to move forward!

“Take up thy bed”: After raising us up from our sins, Jesus wants us to take up something and that is – our cross!! “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” ( Matthew 16:24). The cross referred here is not the cross of Jesus, but ours! Cross represents death- therefore taking up our cross means dying to our self!

After taking our cross, we need to walk…

Walk: For the one who decides to follow Jesus, it is a new beginning of an exciting walk with Jesus. It’s not like the past 38 years of life as with the paralytic— it’s not like the life which we lived before. It’s a walk according to HIS WILL. That may sometimes invite a reproach from the world—Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. (Hebrew 13:12-13). Are we willing to bear ridicule and rejection from those familiar and unfamiliar for the sake of walking with Jesus? 

Our circumstances always distract us from reaching the destination which God has planned for us but those who seek after His will, surely will reach it. Rising above our circumstances, taking up our cross we need to walk and walk in His will, surely HE will be with you. "I will never leave you nor forsake you."(Hebrews13:5). Can we say together “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).

Dear brother/sister, today Jesus asks you the same question: “Do you want to be healed?" if your answer is YES, submit your life into His hands and pray:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I invite Jesus into my heart and bring my life under His authority. Thank you for bringing me out from darkness into Your light. Help me to walk in Your will and to follow in Christ’s stepsuntil I meet You. In Jesus name, Amen.