John 5:1-6

Jesus begins by asking the man if he wanted to be cured. It is not as foolish a question as it may sound. There are invalids for whom invalidism is a not an unpleasant thing, because someone else does all the work and all the worrying. But this man’s response was immediate. The first essential towards receiving the power of Jesus is the intense desire for it. Jesus comes to us and says: “Do you really want to be changed?” If in our inmost hearts we are well content to stay as we are there can be no change for us. The desire for the better things must be surging in our hearts. The power of God never dispenses with our efforts. No one can sit back and relax and expect a miracle.