PRAY IT! Thirst Things First - John 5:1-15

In the previous passage, we saw how our prayer could be positively impacted when looking at the healing of the official's son.  In John 4:47, we saw it beautifully modeled how we can approach Jesus when we model how the official approached Jesus:  he heard, he went, and he begged.  But how do we respond when we are the ones who get approached by Jesus?  We can look to John 5 for some input.  In John 5, Jesus heals a paralyzed man lying by a pool.  

Read a bit of it below (John 5:3-6):

In these lay a multitude of invalids - blind, lame, and paralyzed.  One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.  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?"

In this passage we see that there were many people with many needs.  This man who was about to encounter Jesus had been dealing with his circumstances for THIRTY-EIGHT years.  Talk about patience... talk about potential frustration.  But Jesus saw him.  And Jesus asked him a very pointed question.  

"Do you want to be healed?"

Many needs.

Much patience.

Jesus sees.

Jesus asks.

In Psalm 142:4, the psalmist laments:  "Look to the right and see:  there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul."  Ever feel that way?  If so, be encouraged.  Hope abounds in Jesus.

When we're feeling washed over by waves of many needs, including our own... when we have been waiting (perhaps patiently, perhaps not so patiently) for what seems like eons... when we're discouraged that no one notices or cares, take heart that Jesus sees. We can approach him in prayer desperately, like the official did in the previous passage.  Or, sometimes in his care, Jesus makes the first move.  In his kindness, he offers the help and hope we desperately need, but that perhaps we have given up on.

Is Jesus asking you something?  Take the time to focus your attention and listen.

What is it that you need from Jesus?  Talk to him now.

Are you worried that Jesus cannot attend to your needs whilst attending to the needs of the MULTITUDES?  He can.  Set those fears aside and talk to the one who died on a cross for you, me, and everybody we know.  

I cry to you, O LORD; I saw, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."  Psalm 142:5

Pastor Celia