"Stop Looking for a Man"

 ²Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. ³In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. ⁴For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. ⁵And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? ⁷The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. ⁸Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. ⁹And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath- John 5:2-9

Like the man in the text, we all have found ourselves in some situation that we needed to be delivered from. Some of us may be in a situation right now. This man finds himself in a powerless condition and is in need of some help. He has been lucky enough to get close to some help, but because of his condition he believes he is unable to obtain that help. The man finds himself by a pool that when troubled by the angel the first one in the water would be made whole. This man has been walked over, brushed passed and over looked by people who are in need of their own deliverance. This man has been hoping that someone would see his need, his condition and his desperation and put him in the pool. But time after time again he has been disappointed by man’s individualism and man’s heartlessness.

At this point of the man’s life, after being in his condition so long, he is used to being helpless and dependent on others. He presently finds hope in a temporary and unsuitable source—the pool. The situation at the pool is not helpful because it doesn’t allow real opportunity for change. For this man, it only presents false hope.

If one looks at this situation closely, we should see our own reflection in the pool for we too are like this man, managing lives that are in need of change, but seeking unsuitable sources of change and we have placed our hopes in the heart of disappointing people. We go from relationship to relationship only to be disappointed and hurt by the issues of other people. We have been walked on, brushed passed and left for dead. We place our hopes in unsuitable and temporary solutions like drugs, alcohol, people, power, possessions, and fornication.

What is screaming out to me as I look at the ripple effect of this man’s situation is that when in the presence of Jesus, he is still looking for a man and placing hope in a temporary fix. The man’s ability to see who is before him, the Son of David, the Son of God, is distorted. He is still looking for a man when He was in the presence of God. He was looking for a man when God was available. Let’s be honest, we too have been in the presence of God still looking for intervention from something or someone else. While in church, during worship, and/ or during the preached word, we’ve thought about, cried for and text-messaged our insufficient help. While in the presence of hope Himself, we are mentally and emotionally taken away on the current and waves of false hope. The man needed to realize that the angel that troubled the water was created by the Creator. The man he wished could help him was created and given strength by the Creator. The man in our text and some of us today need to stop looking towards creation to do what the Creator can do all by Himself. We, like the man, need to stop looking for man (mankind) to do things for us. Stop looking for a man to heal your wounds, fill your heart, and change your life. Stop looking for a man to tell you what you were created to do! Stop looking for a man to make you feel like you are something. Stop looking for a man to give you a vision. Stop looking for a man to make you feel like you have purpose and look to the Creator, God Almighty, and allow His creative power to give you something you can’t get yourself! Stop looking for a man!

How many of us would feel better today, if we stop laying ourselves at the mercy of men and laid ourselves at the mercy of a merciful and all powerful God? Look at your life. Are you where you are right now because you are looking for a man or woman to do something in your life? Look to God, He is more than able. Stop looking for a man!

Prayer this prayer: Lord, forgive me for looking for and trusting in people and things to do what you are meant to do. There are so many things in my life that have been delayed because I have been in denial about my dependence on creation and not You, my Creator. Lord, I lay myself at your mercy and your creative power and I ask you to make me whole. Help me to trust you with everything. Allow me to now begin the journey of learning more about Your faithfulness that I may never again look for human beings to do that which is meant to be done my divine hands. In Jesus name, Amen.