A lame answer

So I was sharing this morning at church about pain and its role in our lives and I talked about the lame guy in John 5. He'd been sick for 37 years and he's sitting by the pool where people go to get healed. Along comes Jesus and asks him "do you want to be healed?" Now you might expect that after 37 years of hoping to be healed that he would shout YES!!! with all his might. But he doesn't. He says "I can't" and goes on to give reasons (or excuses) as to why he hasnt been healed yet.

That wasnt what Jesus asked him. Jesus asked him if he WANTED to get healed, not how or why he hadnt yet. It got me thinking as I read that story about how many times in my life I have given an answer like the lame guy and it wasnt even the question Jesus was asking.

I think sometimes we can get comfortable in our 'stuff' to the point that there is a sense of comfort in it. The familiar, even with its pain, can seem easier to handle than taking a risk into the unknown.

As much as I am tempted to stick with what I know, I dont ever want to be found responding to Jesus with such a lame answer ever again. Instead I want to shout YES, YES, YES!!!