POOLTIME – NEWSPAPER ARTICLE FOR 7/8/20

        Now that Summer has officially arrived, many minds are turned to the local city pool, which has opened for business.  The first day of operation normally sees a large crowd of people taking advantage of the pool, but this year there are some limits due to the coronavirus. 

        “Words from Above” in the Bible speak about a number of different pools, and one of them was the pool of Bethesda, located by the sheep gate by the city of Jerusalem.  The pool was considered to be a bathing pool, but over the course of time it came to be associated with the healing of the sick.  The Gospel of John tells us that a great multitude of impotent people, like those who were blind or lame, waited there for the water to be stirred by an angel.  Whenever the angel stirred the water, the first person to step into the pool would be healed of whatever disease he had.

        John 5 tells us that one certain man who had an infirmity for 38 years was laying by the pool when Jesus came by the pool one day.  When Jesus saw the man lying by the pool, and knew that he had his infirmity for a long time, He asked the man if he wanted to be made whole.  This may seem to be a totally unnecessary question, but Jesus always wants us to express our need when we want His help.  The man explained that when the water was stirred he had no one to help him get into the pool, and while he tried to get there on his own, someone else always got there before he could get there.

        Of course, Jesus could have offered to help him the next time the water was stirred, or Jesus could have arranged for someone else to help him, but that is not what Jesus did.  Jesus always know the best way to help people in need, and so He told the man to stand to his feet, pick up his mat, and start walking.  We need to remember that this man had not done any of these things for 38 years, and it may seem that what Jesus was asking him to do was unreasonable.  But immediately the man realized that he was healed, and so he picked up his mat and began to walk, just like Jesus had instructed him to do.

        So, pool time for a crippled man became healing time, and we are told that the next time Jesus saw him was in the Temple.  It is safe to assume that he was there to give thanks to God for his healing.

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.