July 15, 2024 Devo

I think my favorite musical is “Fiddler on the Roof.” Just saying that title makes me want to start singing, “If I were a rich man…” The lead character in the musical Tevye is, well, quite a character! His ongoing conversations and complaints to God are hilarious but also resonate as conversations and complaints that most of us have had with God as well. The line I love the most is when Tevye, who is Jewish, experiences yet another mishap and says to God, “Lord, I know we’re your chosen people, but couldn’t you choose someone else once in a while?” Classic.
Maybe you’ve felt like Tevye. Like God is singling you out for problems. Perhaps you’ve even found yourself crying out to God, “Why ME?” Great question. But do you ask that same question when you are blessed or something goes right or God answers one of your prayers in a big way? Do you say, “Why ME?” then?
In our passage, there were CROWDS of people at the Pool of Bethesda. All of them had needs. BIG needs. Sick people. Blind people. Lame people. Paralyzed people. And out of that whole crowd, Jesus walks up to One Guy and says, “Do you want to be well?” I wonder if the man had any inkling as to how special and blessed he was. Jesus could have picked ANYONE to heal. I wonder if he bowed his head in wonder and asked, “Why ME?”
Have you thought about that lately? When you receive favor from God, are you thankful? When you receive a blessing, does it stir your heart with undeserving gratitude? When is the last time you fell to your knees thinking about all the many, many GOOD THINGS God has poured into your life and said, “Oh dear God, why ME?” Maybe today would be a good day to start. That’s God’s Word for you today.