GET UP!  PICK UP YOUR BED

 AND WALK.  (John 5:8)

I can only speak for myself when I say that even though I know I am blessed by God, 2013 has not been as good a year for me as I had hoped.  I don't ever want to sound ungrateful because I know that if it had not been for the Lord, things could have been a lot worse.  However, I am hoping that the year 2014 will yield some benefits that   will be better than in 2013.

In her book, "Making Sense Of Your Life," Anita Carman has the following quote:  "When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place." Most of us have thought about throwing in the towel at some point in our lives, but we kept going in spite of our frustrations.  I have no question in my mind, that for me, it was because of my faith that Jesus Christ was with me and would never leave me nor forsake me.  As my grandmother would say, "He may not come when you want Him, but He is always on time."

In the passage above, the man who was an invalid for thirty-eight years was seen by Jesus and asked, "Do you want to get well?"  The man implied that he did but he had no one to help him get into the pool when the water was stirred.  It was believed that he could receive a miracle if he could get into the pool and be chosen.  Jesus told him to get up, take up his bed and walk.  In other words, no more excuses that involved others.  With the help of the Lord, the man was to get up himself and walk.

As we approach the year 2014, we should have the attitude that we can do whatever we need to do, with the help of our Lord.  We need not make excuses why we cannot achieve our goals.  We should not be lazy; we should not depend on others to do what we can do for ourselves; and we should not have a negative attitude when it comes to what we can do.  We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  I am determined that 2014 will be a better year for me because I am determined to pick up my bed and walk.  Hallelujah!