When Jesus saw the man and realized that he had been crippled for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to be healed?" The man answered, "Lord, I don't have anyone to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up. I try to get in, but someone else always gets there first." Jesus told him, "Pick up your mat and walk!" John 5:6-8

Pick up your mat and walk*

Jesus has been trying to tread carefully. One one side he does not want the attention that would drive an agenda forward too quickly. On the other, the prophet in him wishes to cut through swathes of red tape ('you can't heal on the Sabbath') and break up patterns ('someone always gets there first'). To the leaders he is now labelled as one who causes trouble, whose statements of authority lead them to contemplate murder. Interestingly, the healed man did not know Jesus, He had come to him out of the blue.

As I listen to this simple and direct instruction* of Jesus what is the response within me , what desire or challenge is stirred within me? Is there a prayer or action that emerges?