Its by the grace of God (John 5:9b-18) 240207
I have not been able to sleep well these two nights. Maybe it is becasue my wife is not around with me, and I really miss her. Maybe the Lord wants me to pray. But anyway, the strange thing is that I don’t really feel sleepy or tired the next day. I thank God for His strength that sustain me and I still can wake up early to do my devotion.
Today’s passage is a continuation from yesterday’s story whereby Jesus asked a man who had been sicked for thirty eight years and He asked him if he wished to get well (v5,6). After the sick man was healed, there was something even more strange happened! The Jews was not happy to see the sick man able to carry his pallet just because it was a Sabbath (v10)! To be able to see a miracle as such, a sick man for thirty eight years to be able to walk and carry his own pallet, there was much to rejoice and thankful for; but these Jews were bounded by the Law of Sabbath and could not see the work of God beyond the Law. This was so sad.
Do we also rejoice when we see the success of others or do we feel jealous and not so happy? Why is that so? I remembered when I was still the Youth Director of Covenant Presbyterian Church, together with a few co-workers, we started a English Presbytery (EP) Youth movement. We have Youth Rally, Youth Sports and Youth Camps in that year, many youth workers and the youths themselves were very excited and found these meaningful. When The Synod (both English and Chinese Prebyteries) decided to pay attention to the youths issue and employ a Youth Executive and start to run different programs, I was skeptical. Though I was for the idea the pay more attention to youth program, but I was not ready to see others doing it and be successful. Why? I felt they have stole my ideas and have not respected my efforts that have laid the ground work with the EP. But I know that was wrong and have asked God for forgiveness. I know that I have allowed pride and insecurity to control over me. Well, now I have truly repented and I really support and rejoice with the success that the Synod Youth programs have achieved lately by the grace of God.
When we realize that all success is by the grace of God, then there is not much for us to be proud of when we are sucessful and not much for us to feel unjust or jealous or even bitter when we see other succeed. They may not deserve what they get as reward or success, it may have been unjust and unfair to you for not being the successful one. But they achieve these all is by the grace of God. It is just like us, when we are successful, though we may be put in a lot of efforts and time to achieve it, but it is still by the grace of God.
Are you able to rejoice with your colleague got a promotion even they do not deserve it? Are you able to thank God for your clasmate who did not study for test but yet do well in the test? Are you able to give thanks for not being appreciated for the effort you put in in ministry and service to the Lord? It is all by the grace of God.
Jesus caught up with the sick man who was healed, and told him not to sin anymore (v14). But the man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who healed him (v15). For this reason, the Jews were persecuting Jesus (v16). To make thing worse, Jesus claimed His identity (v17)!
It is true for us that when we feel insecure, we have to know our identity in Christ. There is no need for us to afraid or jealous about other people’s success will ruin us or belittle us. For we are like Jesus, secure in God, by the grace of God.
The next time you feel unhappy and jealous when you see other people succeed, remember who you are in Christ and give thanks for them.
