2nd Year Public Ministry

I don't know if I am just stressed out by school or what, but when I started this reading assignment, I immediately teared up. I started with reading the healing of the pool. The man that had been disabled for so long was unable to even carry himself to the pool because of his infirmity. Christ tells him to arise and walk. I was thinking if I were that man I might be offended that someone was telling me to do something that I wasn't able to do for such a long time. The man was incapable of doing what was asked. However, he had the faith that he could do it because he was asked to do this thing by Christ. This faith allowed him to be healed. This reminded me of the people who would not look the bronze snake on the staff to be saved. Sometimes we have things that are really quite simple and easy to do, but we don't do them because we lack the simple faith. I think this is an area that I could really work on. I am very hesitant to do things outside of my comfort zone. I get small impressions to help others, compliment someone, or give certain people a call, but I think that it might be awkward, or that it is easier just to not do these things. However, the times that I have listened to this small and simple promptings going on a bit of faith, I have been able to receive great blessings and bless others' lives. I think if I think of these promptings as things Christ is asking me to do, I can get over my selfish worries and be a more effective tool.

After this miracle at the pool, the Jews get angry with Christ for doing it on the Sabbath. This is so silly to me! Christ was performing miracles! Wanting to slay someone that is performing miracles is beyond my comprehension. I like Christ's response in teaching about himself. I think that even though I have always recognized Jesus as in the godhead, I sometimes forget how much power and authority he has in his mortal ministry as the Son of God.

A thing that I noted as interesting was that Christ prayed all night to God prior to selecting the twelve. I thought this showed that Christ was truly on Earth to do his Father's work and the twelve were definitely divinely called.