Daily Office Readings for January 9: Epiphany: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 121,122,123; Evening, Psalm 131 and 132;
Isaiah 63: 1 to 5; Revelation 2: 18 to 29; John 5:1 to 15
“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ (John 5:6)
When we have been lying in our crippled or depressed, or emotionally damaged state for many years, the question of, “If we want to be made well?” is a good question. However, being made well might mean not having others give us special attention anymore. It could mean no more mood altering narcotics. It could mean we have to go to work again. Wanting to be made well is truly something to ponder.
Perhaps the crippled man in our John Gospel reading considered all this and used excuses like “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me,” (John 5:7). Poor thing. So Jesus becomes the “living waters, “Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.” (John 5:8 and 9)
His excuses were gone. With our Lord Jesus, our excuses are gone. Let us not become complacent or lazy, or dependant while validating our perceived wretched state with shallow excuses. Our Lord Jesus is, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Get up, take up your mat and walk as best you can. And if that fails, crawl. And for the rest of us, render help to others more than we ask for help for ourselves. Some of our helpless are placed in our path so that God can see who we really are.
Today we remember Julia Chester Emery, Lay Leader and Missionary, January 9, 1922) and her information may be found at: Julia Chester Emery
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
O Holy Lord Jesus, the Savior of the world, we want to be made well but are often helpless to help ourselves. Bring Your healing to us as we too often can’t make it to You. Meet us more than half way. And where we are too comfortable in our weakness, strengthen our desire to be made well and to be open to Your coming to us in Spirit, or in those whom You send to us. Thank You Lord Jesus. Amen.
onewhoponders 