“We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” – 2 Corinthians 3:16

“Every moment and every event of every person’s life on earth plants something in his soul.” – Thomas Merton

What is being planted in your soul?

The work of a self-portrait compared to a selfie

Transformation – you can’t manufacture it Transformation – you can’t manufacture it. It is the work of the Spirit of God. It comes to us as gift. We are invited to receive the gift and participate by turning toward God, contemplating God and discovering that which is deepest within us is of God. What does it look like for you to participate in that gift this week?

“And they waited for the moving of the waters “And they waited for the moving of the waters. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had.” – John 5:4

Jesus does in a moment what the pool stood for, but was unable to do.

Arise - egeiró – Wake up, to arise (in some cases from the dead)

Grace and healing come without even asking for it.

What is the heart of the Sabbath?

“His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”   “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus said. – John 9:2-3

“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” – Matthew 5:45

Jesus heals a man who didn’t know if he wanted to be healed.

He has become so used to life with this ailment for the past 38 years that he does not know if he wants to be healed or not. He likely feels a great deal of anxiety about being free from this ailment. He’s simply grown used to it. It’s become a part of him and if he didn’t have it anymore he wouldn’t know who he is without it. It has become a part of his identity.

Are there things in your life where if you didn’t have them you’d be afraid that you might now know how to function without them?

Do you want to get well?

Jesus comes to bring healing and a whole new creation Jesus comes to bring healing and a whole new creation. Jesus comes to show us how to be fully human. Will we say, “Yes.”?