We all have familiar places, familiar saying, familiar relationships, familiar foods, and the list goes on into eternity. Because of the way that life is structured we find ourselves moving into patterns; things we do on a consistent basis to a consistent schedule in our lives. The problem with patterns and familiar places is that they can stifle growth. There are many times when we can go to familiar places without even thinking because they have been so programmed in our lives. Have our jobs become familiar? Have our routines become familiar? Have our expectations become familiar? If they have then we are at a point where we need to get up.
In John 5:2-8 we find a man who had found himself in a familiar place:
"Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up they bed, and walk."
So we have this guy who is impotent or lacking the ability to perform a task necessary for life. He has been like this for at least 38 years, which is a long time, and the only thing he did was sit at a pool. And he waited. And waited. And waited for the right season, at the right time, for a man to come pick him up and take him to the water. He was looking for an event, waiting for a moment, when all conditions would work in his favor and he would miraculously be healed by the water touched by the angel. He was waiting and hoping from a familiar place. I suspect that the man sat there with expectation and hope each year for change. He didn't move forward on his own because he was satisfied in the idea of just hoping. Sometimes we find ourselves in the same condition: finding euphoria and satisfaction from the simple hope of moving forward. But when destiny is concerned we cannot rely solely on hope.
I believe this man could have easily positioned himself closer to the pool of Bethesda. He could have had a man pick him up and place him by the pool in anticipation for the angel to trouble the water. When the water was troubled he could just have fallen in and he would have been made whole. But I truly believe it was him being in his familiar spot, with his familiar people, talking about being made whole that fueled his complacency. Where do you find yourself being familiar at today? Are there people around you hindering you from moving forward because you revel in the hope of change. Are you looking for someone to pick you up and take you to your fullness.
It took this man to have an encounter with Jesus in order for him to realize where his potential was. Jesus told him, "Rise, take up they bed, and walk." Verse 9 says, "And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked." It only took him to have an encounter with God to propel him into his destiny. Though the man was able to receive from God it took his encounter with God to facilitate his change past what was familiar.
Know today that every time we encounter Christ there is a grace to get up from familiar places. Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life, opens up an opportunity for us to be propelled into greatness every time he speaks to us. Each time he visits us in church, at home, in worship, and in prayer, he is calling us out from our places. He is commanding you to pick up your bed and walk into where he is leading. We all will find ourselves in places that are comfortable and familiar but let us use our encounters with Christ to get up. He is here right now telling you to pick up your bed, put away what is familiar, and be bold to walk by faith where you have never walked before!
Be More. Hear More. See More. Do More.
You can do anything [through Christ]
**Writer's note**
It has been a very strong tug on my heart for the past few weeks about this topic. I know that within my own life there are areas that are very familiar. Even with writing this blog I find myself in familiar places of simply not being used to writing a blog. I do know that God has called me in many areas and it is simply the faith to get up that causes something supernatural to happen. When I commit to what he has says in the moment that he says it there is an overwhelming power to overcome. Just like the man at the pool, there was power to get up because he did what Jesus said. I find myself, now more than ever, endeavoring to do what Jesus says so that I can access the power. So wherever I have familiarized and patterned my life I'm looking and expecting Jesus to come in and say get up! I want to be in a position where I can walk into the destiny and fullness that he has created for me. I know there is more and I sense that there is more and I know that simply experience a nice feeling from hoping and thinking about it isn't going to cut it. So this is not only something he laid on my heart to share but something very personal. I'm getting up, because he said so, because he got up for me, because I'm tired of what is familiar. I'm ready to believe differently, see differently, and experience differently. I've thrown my mat away; there is no need for it where I'm going.
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