January
25, 2003
RISE,
TAKE UP YOUR BED AND WALK
"Jesus
said to him, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk. And immediately
the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked' "
(John 5:8, 9, NKJV).
"Jesus
had given him no assurance of divine help. The man might have
stopped to doubt, and lost his one chance of healing. But
he believed Christ's word, and in acting upon it he received
strength.
"Through
the same faith we may receive spiritual healing. By sin we
have been severed from the life of God. Our souls are palsied.
Of ourselves we are no more capable of living a holy life
than was the impotent man capable of walking. There are many
who realize their helplessness, and who long for that spiritual
life which will bring them into harmony with God; they are
vainly striving to obtain it. In despair they cry, 'O wretched
man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?'
(Romans 7:24). Let these desponding, struggling ones look
up. The Saviour is bending over the purchase of His blood,
saying with inexpressible tenderness and pity, 'Do
you want to be made well?' (John 5:6). Believe His
word, and it will be fulfilled. Put your will on the side
of Christ. Will to serve Him, and in acting upon His word
you will receive strength. Whatever may be the evil practice,
the master passion which through long indulgence binds both
soul and body, Christ is able and longs to deliver. He will
impart life to the soul that is 'dead in trespasses' (Ephesians
2:1). He will set free the captive that is held by weakness
and misfortune and the chains of sin.
"The
restored paralytic stooped to take up his bed, which was only
a rug and a blanket, and as he straightened himself again
with a sense of delight, he looked around for his Deliverer;
but Jesus was lost in the crowd. The man feared that he would
not know Him if he should see Him again. As he hurried on
his way with firm, free step, praising God and rejoicing in
his new-found strength, he met several of the Pharisees, and
immediately told them of his cure. He was surprised at the
coldness with which they listened to his story.
"With
lowering brows they interrupted him, asking why he was carrying
his bed on the Sabbath day. They sternly reminded him that
it was not lawful to bear burdens on the Lord's day. In his
joy the man had forgotten that it was the Sabbath; yet he
felt no condemnation for obeying the command of One who had
such power from God. He answered boldly, 'He who made me well
said to me, "Take up your bed and
walk" '. They asked who it was that had done this,
but he could not tell. These rulers knew well that only One
had shown Himself able to perform this miracle; but they wished
for direct proof that it was Jesus, that they might condemn
Him as a Sabbath-breaker. In their judgment He had not only
broken the law in healing the sick man on the Sabbath, but
had committed sacrilege in bidding him to bear away his bed."--
The Desire of Ages, pp. 203, 204. --To be continued.
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