"He who made me well . . ."

So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk." -John 5:10-11

This man, having been sick for 38 years, had been following Jewish custom and superstition in an attempt to be healed but it was not until Jesus entered his life that he could walk. At Jesus' command the lame man got up and walked. The Jews tried to accuse the man for not following their traditions and the man's simple answer was perfect: "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk." He had learned that Jesus could do what traditions could not. Therefore he disregarded the culture he was living in and followed the command of Jesus. 

​If we put our faith in anything or anyone other than Jesus, we will be waiting forever, just as this man would have. Our culture, our traditions, our superstitions, even our own attempts to be "good" can never heal us from broken lives. Only Jesus can do this. And once we acknowledge that He is Lord, there is nothing left to do but obey Him and pick up our pallets and walk. There will be those who call us crazy, those who condemn us for stepping outside of cultural norms, but when they accuse you, answer as this man did, "He who made me well said to me, "Pick up your pallet and walk."