Humanity wastes much time in waiting—waiting for some desired event, for a more abundant supply, for a healing, or in waiting for some evil or disease which may be considered inevitable. Waiting is tied up in the belief that events must take place in order to ensure our health or happiness, that our fortunes and lives are inextricably enmeshed in materiality and mortality.
In John's Gospel the account is given of Jesus' healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda. We are told that in each of its five porches "lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water" (5:3). The popular belief was that if one were fortunate enough to be first to step into the waters when they were troubled by a certain angel, he would be restored to health. And so they all waited.
But the impotent man complained to Jesus that he had no one to lift him into the pool at the proper moment. Forthwith, Jesus annihilated the belief that time, matter, or superstition was in any way involved in Christ-healing. To the impotent man, he said, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And the man did so immediately. He did not need to wait for his body to recuperate. He was immediately cured and strengthened.
