Pastor’s Note

Do You Want To Be Made Well?

            During this Lenten season, we are invited to slow down, reflect honestly on our lives, and bring our deepest needs before God. In John 5:1-9, Jesus encounters a man who has been ill for thirty-eight years, lying beside the pool of Bethesda and hoping for healing that never seems to come. When Jesus approaches him, the question He asks is both simple and searching: “Do you want to be made well?”

            At first glance, the question almost seems unnecessary. Of course, the man wants to be well. Why else would he be there? Yet, Jesus’ question reaches deeper than the surface. It invites the man to name his desire, to step out of resignation, and to imagine that change is truly possible.

            The man responds by explaining why he cannot reach the water in time. His answer reflects a life shaped by disappointment and obstacles. For so long he has lived with the assumption that healing is always just out of reach. But Jesus does not wait for the pool to stir. Instead, He speaks a word of authority and grace: “Stand up, take your mat and walk” (John 5:8). Immediately, the man is made well.

            This moment invites us to hear Jesus’ question addressed to each of us during Lent: Do you want to be made well?

            Wellness in the Gospel is more than physical healing. It speaks to a complete restoration, of body, heart, relationship, and spirit. Sometimes we grow accustomed to carrying burdens that weigh us down, habits we cannot break, wounds we have learned to live around, and fears that keep us from stepping forward in faith. Over time, we may stop expecting transformation.

            Yet, Jesus still asks the question, not to shame us, but to awaken hope. Healing often begins with a willingness to admit our need and to trust that God can do something new in our lives.

            Lent is a season for answering that question honestly. It is a time to bring before Christ the places where we long for renewal. As we do, we may discover that the One who asks the question is also the One who gives the power to rise. 

            May we hear Christ’s voice clearly this week and may we find the courage to stand, take up what once held us down, and walk in the new life Jesus offers.