"Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!"
Consider (and imagine) these scenarios:
Seemingly different scenarios, but at the root they are all the same: Jesus was changing lives and meeting people at their point of need.
Jesus healed the sick man so he could walk. For the Jewish leaders, Jesus wanted them to see beyond rules to His Father’s work. For the crowds, Jesus didn't just give them what they wanted; He wanted to satisfy their deepest need. He wants to do the same for everyone today.
Changed in an Instant
"The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd." (John 5.13)
For the first time in thirty-eight years, he stands up on his own just because a man told him to. He didn’t even know who had changed his life. We don’t know just how much Jesus intervenes in our lives every day; at His word, we are living changed lives.
“Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” (John 5.14)
God will never leave us in a pitiful state; He brings the change we need and shows us His way. He does not want us to regress. In Him, the steps to "better" are found in knowing the One who changed us.
Reflect on the unseen ways Jesus has changed your life today. Recognize that His word keeps you standing even when you don't realize He is the one at work.
Accept God's conviction and decide to move forward in His way. Commit to not regressing into old habits, but instead find your strength in knowing the One who healed you.