DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL?

In John chapter 5, Jesus asks a man an interesting question, but one we must all answer for healing to come.  "Do you WANT to get well?"

Within healing there are, it three involved (a Trinity, if you will).  One of those is the Great Physician--God--Jesus--and he is THE ULTIMATE HEALER.  He put within our bodies great systems to heal itself, to move blood, to move oxygen, to move cells to kill infection.  Pretty great idea, right?

But also this same God decided to, at times, use miracles such as Jesus did in John 5,where a man 38 years in an invalid condition, got up to walk at Jesus request.

So 1) God is Ultimate Healer

Second within the healing realm are the medical facilities, medications, doctors, nurses, staff, that discover, promote, educate and provide their knowledge to healing.  Many acknowledge that God is the ultimate healer, but whether they do or not, they work with existing systems that they did not put into place in the human body.  They tweak, and discover, and learn new ways and technologies to aid the healing.

Third, is the patient--you, me, us.  Each of us need a hope, a reason, a purpose, people in our life that make us want to be healed.  When hope is gone, physicians can go no farther.  Hope is necessary to the healing process.  It is easy to live a long-haul disease and give up hope for improvement--that life can get any better.  For some who are very old, that may be God's way of helping them get less settled and comfortable with this world, and prepare to enter the world to come.

But for younger ones of us, God may want to give us hope through encouragers, family, supporters, churches, a new granddaughter (just thought I'd throw that one in, since I have one--want to see pics?).  He may want to give us hope through reading the Bible, through prayer for change, through gifts or love brought from friends, family, church members.

Two Sundays ago, I received a bombard of text messages at Barnes Hospital.  My pastor, Wes, had at a certain time in their service, people with cell phones take our phone number and send messages of prayer, encouragement, love, hope to us.  WHAT AN ENCOURAGEMENT!  Novel idea--Turn your cell phone ON, not OFF, during worship as a tool of ministry.  THANKS PASTOR WES.

But three parts, and that is where the question of Jesus comes in.  "Do you WANT to get well?"

Whatever the ailment, YOU have something to do about your healing, your overcoming whatever the problem or affliction is.  YOU have to WANT to get well.

God's Part
Medical Staff Part
Your Part

Do you want to get well?  Keep up the hope, the purpose, the "want to" so you too can overcome.