Liz Spoto
In these verses of John, a paralytic lies at the edge of healing waters, waiting as others push ahead to enter the pool before him and be cured. Jesus sees the man and heals him, saying “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” Jesus provided the opportunity for healing; and, importantly, the man obeyed the command.
Throughout our lives, God gives us daily opportunities to improve our lives. But those chances rely on our willingness to listen, to obey, and to have faith that the “cure” will follow. He gives the water of baptism to all, for the forgiveness of our sins. We don’t need to wait our turn, as the paralytic had been doing. No one can step ahead of us. We simply need to ask for God’s holy baptism and believe that it will heal us.
I learned recently that I have never been baptized. I was “dedicated to God” as a baby, which my family and I mistook for baptism. But I was never given the sacrament of holy baptismal water. Interestingly enough, the same is true for my father. We both asked Jesus to come into our lives many, many years ago. And we’ve certainly felt His loving presence within us for as long as we can remember. But something still doesn’t feel complete without his holy baptism. So, together this spring, we plan to obey God’s command and accept his most precious gift of true healing and forgiveness.
I’ll admit that it may feel a little awkward to walk forward as adults, amidst a group of white-gowned children. But we both believe it’s time that we listen to God, obey his command and fully accept his most generous gift to us.
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