Rev. Ray and Pat Amos

John 5:6

DEVOTION FOR TODAY, July 19, 2019

“Do You Want to Get Well?”

A couple was talking about how they would love to have some fresh green beans. “Come to my house tomorrow and you can have some,” said a neighbor who had a beautiful garden. He was so happy to share the abundance of his garden with them.

They did come and were led through the garden gate. “Do you want us to pick them,” they disappointingly asked. They left without any beans as the wife said, “I cannot believe that he expected us to pick them.” The husband said, “I know, I would give anything to have some good fresh green beans.”

A man had been down for many years and he dreamed of being able to walk and work. Then Jesus came along with a strange question: “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)

When we pray for answers, is it possible that the Lord might ask us how much we really want this? What happens when our troubles and pains become our friends and we want them to go away, but not too far? What about when the answer requires us to cast aside our pride and to humbly seek the things that heal.

You lose a lot of pride in a hospital, but are hopefully rewarded with healing. The same can be true in many of life’s situations. “I will never say that I am sorry,” said the same person who was praying for a friendship to be restored. Another man sat across from me and said, “I don’t want any of that religious stuff, I just need you to help me get my wife back.”

Do we want to be healed? It is really not a strange question. We enter the garden of prayer with empty hands, but we don’t have to leave that way. Are we willing to pick beans?

“There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
And He bids you to come meet Him there;
Just to bow, and receive a new blessing,
In the beautiful garden of prayer.”

Grace and Peace, Rev Ray

“Link to YouTube Video – The Beautiful Garden of Prayer”