The Light of Christ Journey

Look for God at work around you, and don’t be surprised how fantastic He is. As we go through life, sometimes we don’t lift our heads long enough to smell the roses and see what God is doing. While Jesus was going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Holy Days, He ministered to a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years.

 John 5:⁸ Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”⁹ Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, ¹⁰ so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!” ^[1]

Instead of rejoicing and praising the Lord, the religious leaders missed what God was doing and focused on their man-made laws. How often have I missed what God was doing around me because I was focused on the wrong thing? Perhaps you have experienced something similar.

God is at Work All Around Us

As I write this, it is the spring of the year when trees are starting to leaf out, flowers are coming up, and everything in nature seems to be going through a time of renewal. Spring is a particular time when we can see God at work. The beauty the Lord brings forth is all around us, but we can easily miss it if we are not looking. God is also at work with people around us, and if we ask the Lord to open our eyes to what He is doing, we will be amazed at what He will show us.

What if these same religious leaders had been on the lookout for God at work around them? When we look for God at work, we begin to look up, and our perspective changes as our focus moves to the Lord. Instead of complaining about Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath, they could have come alongside this man spiritually. They may have asked him a question such as, “How does the Lord want to transform your life now that you are healed?”

God is at Work on the Inside

The beauty of God is He is a master of working on people on the inside. While physical miracles are amazing, what happens on the inside is even greater. A friend was in a battle with cancer, and over time, his body wasted away. Although his body would continue to decline, inside, the Lord transformed him like a building under construction. God healed family relationships through this struggle, and he blossomed into a new creation.

Sometimes, our focus is only on a person’s health, and we miss great spiritual revivals right before our eyes. I will always be grateful for my time with my friend and how the Lord enabled me to recognize His work in His heart. 2 Corinthians 5:¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ^[2] Ask the Lord to show you where He is working around you.

To learn how to look for God at work around you, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/healing-at-a-pool

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jn 5:8–10). Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2 Co 5:17). Tyndale House Publishers.