John 5:8-9 Part 2

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (John 5:8-9)

Here was a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. And yet, when Jesus told him to get up and walk, he got up and walked! Amazing! I heard a pastor on the radio the other day say that we were called to WALK by faith, not SIT by faith. Jesus has called us out of our sin to WALK! Yet some of us are still sitting around waiting for direction! :)

We act as if we are paralyzed by the fear of failure. We think, “I’m not sure what God has called me to do. I don’t really have a gift or calling. I’ve been praying about it for years, but I just don’t seem to know what God wants me to do.” This verse makes it clears that He wants us to get moving!

Furthermore, Paul wrote in Ephesians that even though we used to be dead in our sins, God has made us alive for a purpose:

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:4-9)

This passage has so much to say about what Jesus has done for us. He saved us by grace through faith in Him. And while it says we are NOT saved by our works, it is clear that we were saved FOR good works. God has already prepared good works for us to do. We just need to walk in them! My pastor spoke on this passage a few weeks ago and he said that every morning he prays that he would walk in the good works that God has prepared for him that day. I love that! I have begun doing that myself.

It’s exciting to know that each day God has a plan for our day if we will just walk in it. He will bring to us those opportunities if we just keep our eyes and ears open. Or even if we just open our mail! There are so many great ministries out there who need our prayers, our time, and, yes, our money. Ask God to put it on you heart where He wants you to walk today! Then, let us know where He takes you. One thing is certain: He does not want you sitting on your butt waiting for guidance! :)