22-May-22 (John 5:1-9)

When I was in Junior High School, I really wanted to be in one of the school plays. It just seemed like a lot of fun. The thing was, I never tried out. The thing is, if you don't try out, you're probably not going to be in the play.
One day, a friend of mine was sitting with me in the auditorium as we watched the tryouts. He said, "If you want to be in the play, go down there and try out." So I did... and I got a part! All I had to do was get up and try.
Now Jesus ran into a problem something like this. He went into the temple and there was a man who hadn't been able to stand for 38 years! Jesus asked him, "Do you want to be made well?" The man gave a lot of reasons why he hadn't been healed yet, but Jesus stopped him and said, "If you want to be healed, just stand up and walk." and at once it happened. Just like me, the man found out that all we had to do was stand up and try.
It doesn't always work out exactly like that, but you'll never know what you and God can do if you don't stand up and try.

Let's pray about that.
God, we thank you that Jesus came to show us the way to live and to show us how much you love us. Help us to remember that God will help us and help us to get up and try the things you ask us to do. And, when people around us are having trouble, help us, like Jesus, to be their friends and help them to know that they can try too.
Amen.