July 9

Jesus saith unto him, rise, take up thy bed and walk.— John v. 8.

At the pool of Bethesda, there was an erection of five porches for the reception of afflicted persons, who at a certain season repaired thither, that after the troubling of the water by the Angel of the Lord, they might step in and be made whole. At this pool there lay a man who had been afflicted for thirty-eight years, and who it seems had attended at the troubling of the waters every year; but it was only those who first stepped into the stream who received its marvellous restorative influences, and some one else had always stepped in before him; so that now in addition to a deep rooted infirmity and growing old, he must also have nearly lost all hope of ever receiving the benefit of the healing waters. Happy for him that Jesus passing by saw him in his truly pitiable circumstances, and addressing him said, "Wilt thou be made whole?" and afterwards he said unto him, "Rise take up thy bed and walk." Now observe, the miracle was effected by Christ's Almighty Word, he did not assist him into the stream, he did not use any medical means, he did not even lay his hands on him. He speaks to him, and at the sound of his voice the disease was rebuked, and left him. The miracle was instantaneous. A disease of more than thirty years of painful experience, was banished in a moment, and instantly a healthy influence was diffused throughout his whole frame. The miracle was self-evident. There could be no deception in the matter. The man must have been well known; his impotency was of necessity obvious to all. Well, Christ commands him to rise, and he makes the effort, and easily accomplishes what he had not been able to do for years. Christ commands him to walk, and now he is able to move without difficulty. He is ordered to take his bed and bear it away, and he obeys the astounding mandate, and he who had been weak and helpless throughout, has now perfect ability both in his arms and feet, and is made every whit whole. O the wonders of the Redeemer's power and grace! Truly he was the Christ, the Son of God