He had been unwell for thirty-eight years, unable to walk and with no-one to help (John 5:1-5).  Like many of the disabled people lying around the pool of Bethesda, he thought that if he was the first to get into the water when the underground spring bubbled up, he might be healed.  But someone always got into the water before him. His only hope was the supposed ‘curative power’ of the water, but he could never see himself being healed.

When Jesus asked him, "Do you want to get well?" (John 5:6) he did not give a straight answer.  He implied that if he had somebody to help him, then the water might heal him.  Then Jesus simply commanded him to stand up and carry his mat away from the pool.  Although he had not looked to Jesus for healing, he was willing to listen to Him.  But what Jesus told him to do was impossible.  After so many years when his muscles had not been used, they would have been wasted and powerless, even if their nerve supply was immediately reconnected.  

Despite the logical impossibility, the disabled man took Jesus at His word and obeyed.  He immediately found that he could stand up unaided and was able to pick up his sleeping mat and walk away from 38 years of captivity within his own unresponsive body (Matthew 9:2-8; Luke 13:10-16).  Several miracles took place that day.  The nerve supply to his muscles worked, the muscles immediately responded, enabling the man to stand and walk.  But the biggest miracle was that the man obeyed Jesus.  He could have told Jesus that walking was impossible, but instead Jesus' command stirred his faith and his body.

Naturally, whatever the problem, we try to solve it ourselves or try to get others to help us.  But where do we place our faith?   In our own problem-solving ability, mystical superstition, in the wisdom of our friends, or in Jesus?  Of course, it is right to do whatever we can to be personally responsible, and it is right to seek advice from others, but if we do not trust the Lord then there is no ultimate resource or comfort.  But how do we start trusting?  The answer is simple. We start by listening to what the Lord is saying, and decide to obey Jesus (1 John 2:5).  So, when we know what God's Word says and choose to do it, we learn how to develop trust and start to walk in His blessing.