What is your vision like?

 

I went to Jerusalem a couple of years ago. I cannot fully explain the feelings I had walking in the places where Jesus walked. Being in the places where he performed miracles and contemplating what it was like to be there. Jerusalem is such an interesting place. It is a great combination of modern 21 century city and ancient dwellings several thousand years old. At the pool of Bethesda we only see a small part of the location where Jesus healed the paralytic. It is still quite amazing to see. 

As I was reading John 5 this morning, beginning at the story of Jesus healing this paralytic, I was taken back to my trip to Israel. When I read the opening line of this chapter, I visualize the ruins and can see Jesus walking down the ancient steps to ask this poor man if he wanted to be healed.

“Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people - blind, lame, or paralyzed - lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been there for a long time, he asked him, ‘Would you like to get well?’ I can’t, sir,’ the sick man said, ‘ for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.’ Jesus told him, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!’” (John 5:2-8)

The man was healed and because it was on the Sabbath, both this healed man and Jesus were harassed for an alleged violation of the Sabbath. This harassment leads to Jesus claiming, he and the Father are one. I cannot even imagine being there, witnessing this amazing miracle and saying, “Yeah, you shouldn’t have done that!” WHAT? The religious leaders and their blind followers had lost sight of God’s plan. They couldn’t see the forest for the trees. Their own scriptures pointed directly to Jesus:

“Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.’ And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a dear, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!” (Isaiah 35:4-6)

The prophet Isaiah had written about these events hundreds of years before. Yet, the leaders missed it! 

Are we missing God’s amazing presence among us right now, at the beginning of the year 2025? All of scripture pointed directly to Jesus. Since the fall of man, God had this perfect plan to come and live with us, save us from ourselves, and heal our land. He has been doing that in miraculous ways. Even today we are missing it. I have seen miracles. I have seen lives transformed from the depths of drug addiction, alcoholism, homelessness, and overwhelming hopelessness. God is at work right now just as he was back then. Are you missing it?

Pray to your Heavenly Father that he opens your eyes so you can see his miraculous work that surrounds you. It is everywhere!