January 9, 2025
Our Scripture lesson today finds us at the Bethesda pool/reservoir in Jerusalem. These public pools were used for water, bathing, swimming, washing and so forth. The Bethesda pool was the size of 2 Olympic swimming pools and was at least 30 yards deep. It was a big pool!
Sick people congregated around this pool, hoping that an angel from heaven would stir up the waters. They believed that when the waters were stirred up, the first one in the pool would be healed. Naturally, there was a lot of competition to be first into the pool!
On this day, Jesus visits the pool. He meets a man who has been an invalid for almost 40 years. The implication is that he has spent most of that time at the pool, hoping to be healed.
When Jesus asks him if in fact he does want to be healed, the man doesn’t answer ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Instead, he bemoans that no one is there to help him.
Apparently, the man has tunnel vision. Instead of answering Jesus’ question and waiting to see what Jesus will do, he simply states the obvious. He can only imagine one way of being healed. He doesn’t seem to be aware that there are any other options.
Do you know anyone with tunnel vision? Maybe someone who seems to have blinders that keep them from seeing other options or possibilities? Perhaps someone who knows they should lose weight, but honestly can’t imagine changing their diet or exercising? Someone who would be better off in another neighborhood, but can’t imagine living anywhere else? Or perhaps a friend who has become unhappy with their job, but it never occurs to them to look for something more rewarding?
Churches can be like that. Some churches can only imagine one way of doing mission work and never explore other options. Others are so used to their familiar hymns that they get panicky when something new is introduced. One of my churches desperately wanted to grow, but it never occurred to them to open the front door on Sunday mornings. ‘Everyone knows to go in the side door. Why would we open the front door?’
None of these churches, or people, are malicious, stupid, or apathetic. They genuinely want to change. But they can’t imagine doing anything differently.
And that’s the thing about following Jesus. We know he’s there with us. And we know he helps us. But his help doesn’t always come in the way we expect. We think he’ll be right there, easing us into the water. Sometimes, he just tells us to pick up our mat and walk.
As we make our way into 2025, let’s be alert to Jesus’ presence. Let’s be open to his guidance and his desire for our future. For certainly Jesus will be our help, though perhaps not in the way we expected.
This year let’s avoid tunnel vision.
God’s peace to us all,
Pastor Ken.