The doctor told Richard that he needed his gall bladder removed.  Richard was not thrilled with the prospect, but wanted to do everything he could to help.  He told the doctor he wanted to help with the operation by performing half of the surgery.  The flabbergasted doctor hardly knew what to say.  He began by telling Richard that he couldn’t help because it was impossible.  He would be under anesthesia and sleeping.  But Richard insisted he wanted to be awake for the surgery and they could just numb the area that needed to be operated on.  “No!”  The doctor insisted, “You can not help.  You are a barber not a surgeon.  You don’t know the first thing about surgery.”  Richard left the office in a huff and went home to call doctors until he found one who would do it his way.

Too many times we don’t want to admit that only God can heal us.  We don’t want to admit that any effort on our part is hopeless.  When Jesus told the invalid at the Pool of Bethseda, “Rise and walk”,  the invalid accepted by faith the power of those words and stood up and walked.  Jesus wants to heal our spiritual lives the same way.  When He tells us to “rise and walk”, we need to realize we are incapable of doing it on our own and then obey, standing up to walk in His power and His strength.

“Jesus saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?  The man answered Him, Sir, I have no man…to put me into the pool….Jesus saith unto him,  Rise…and walk.  Immediately the man was made whole…..and walked”  John 5:6-9