January 24, 2005 Monday
Made Whole

"When Jesus saw him...he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?" - John 5:6

Jesus asked this question to a man who was sick before Jesus even came to earth! And while it seems to be a misplaced question for someone who has been agonizing in pain for 38 years, Christ's question cut down every corner of temporal perspective in this man's life. As some would prefer to use their physical sores as a means of begging for a living, so too do many prefer to use the spiritual sores of their sin to justify their self-pity and lack of faithfulness to Jesus Christ. "I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul." (Psalm 142:4) Self-pity and lack of faithfulness to Christ are simply signs that we're more concerned with the temporal rather than the eternal. "The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man..." (John 5:7). The only means of help he could fathom were those in the world; he was busy looking to his left and right for help, everywhere he could possibly think of, but he was never looking up, to God. Even though God had occasionally sent an angel to stir up the nearby waters with a special healing, they probably assumed the source of healing to be in the water itself, not even giving consideration to God who wanted to stir their souls unto true faith. Often though, once we've exhausted every earthly means of help, we finally realize there is only One to whom we must turn, only One place of refuge. After David had worn out all avenues of hope he said, "I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion" (Psalm 142:5). This is the moment when we are finally made whole and able to receive and appreciate His forgiveness; when we turn all our thoughts from this temporal world to the eternal God, Jesus Christ. Don't try to patch up that which needs to be replaced; the bandages will only unwrap after time and you'll suffer the more. Experiencing the reality of His salvation is nothing less than being "made whole".