Do You Want to Be Well?

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When I was a teenager I spent a couple summers working as a lifeguard at the city pool. Every hour there was a 10-minute safety break, and at the end of the break a bell would ring telling the swimmers they could go back in the water. At around minute nine the kids would line up all around the edge of the pool, ready to pounce at the sound of the bell, eager for bragging rights that they were the first to jump back in. 

In John’s gospel (John 5:1-9), a man who had been ill for 38 years was lying with other ill people near a pool that had healing powers. Occasionally the water in this pool would stir, and apparently the first person to get into those moving waters would be healed.

 

Jesus approached this man and asked him, “Do you want to be well?” The man answered that he couldn’t get down to the pool quickly enough and so someone else always got there before he did.

Notice that the man didn’t answer Jesus’ question. He offered only an excuse as to why he was unable to be the first one in the pool. Maybe he needed someone to help him – and how sad that is if no one would. Maybe he got disheartened and gave up. Maybe, after many years, he became accustomed to his situation. 

We may think that we’d have done everything possible to get into that pool first. Instead of passing judgment, though, let’s ask ourselves if sometimes we don’t also make excuses for ourselves and the ‘ill’ ways we’re living. For instance, we may rationalize our cynicism or hurtful choices. We may use our stressful lives to justify our unhealthy or selfish actions. Do we acknowledge these and other ‘ills’? Do we try to change?

Let’s take a moment and listen to Christ ask us: 

Do you want to be well?

Do you want to be freed from your hurtful obsessions and destructive choices?

Do you want to abandon your self-centered ways?

Do you want to experience the peace that I offer you?

Do you want to become the loving, peaceful person the Father created you to be?

Are you willing to do what’s necessary to make those things happen?

Let’s take a bold step toward Christ and ask Him to help us abandon all forms of spiritual stagnation, selfishness, and destructive behavior. Let’s ask Him to lead us to His peace. Let’s be the first one to call out, “Lord, make me well!”

“He said to him, ‘Do you want to be well?’ The sick man answered, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.’” – John 5:6-7 

Open my eyes, that I may see You. Open my ears, that I may hear You. Open my heart, that I may love You in the people around me.

SIDE NOTE: The women’s a cappella quintet I sing with, Grace Notes, has been invited to join the terrific men’s vocal ensemble Sonnenberg Station in a FREE CONCERT that is open to the public on Sunday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 2726 West Market St. in Fairlawn, across from Marc’s. Both groups will perform our own pieces and we will also sing a few together. This will be a fantastic concert! Hope to see you there – invite your friends!

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2025 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below.  Comments are always welcome! 

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list. 

You can also find my posts on my Facebook page!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home and around the world. Donate to a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the people around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Nothing Is Impossible for God

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God uses the humble to make the impossible happen. Consider the Annunciation, which is celebrated on March 25. An unmarried girl was asked to become the Mother of God. Despite her questions and the impossibility of it all, she answered humbly, “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) – and the history of the world changed.

In ancient Israel, a little girl was captured during a raid and became a slave of the army commander’s wife. Naaman, the army commander, had leprosy. The girl knew of a powerful prophet and told Naaman’s wife, “If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.” Naaman went to see the prophet Elisha, who told Naaman simply to wash in the Jordan river. He did so, and was cured (see 2 Kings 5:1-14).

As God used young Mary to be an instrument in Jesus’ miraculous Incarnation, He also used the slave girl to be an instrument in Naaman’s miraculous healing. Though she had no social status, God inspired the girl to speak up when she realized someone could benefit from what she knew. Had she not followed her inclination to say something, Naaman wouldn’t have been cured. 

God also prompted Naaman’s servants to urge him to follow Elisha’s command. When Elisha told Naaman, through a messenger, to go wash in the river, Naaman refused. He had expected Elisha to come out to greet him and perform some kind of dramatic ritual over him; washing in the Jordan was so simple it seemed foolish. The servants pointed out that, if Elisha had ordered him to do something extraordinary, he would have done it right away. He agreed; so he went, washed, and was healed. Had these lowly servants remained silent, Naaman wouldn’t have been cured.

Lent is half over. Let’s redouble our efforts with humility to listen to the promptings of the Spirit to step out in faith or to speak up when we see someone in need. Let’s humbly listen for His guidance when others reach out to us. If we hesitate because we think we’re unqualified or we’re afraid of being criticized, then we may be thinking only of ourselves. Instead, let’s not underestimate the goodness and the loving power of God; let’s consider that He may want to accomplish something through us, impossible as that may seem. Let’s trust that, if He has put an idea in our heart, He’ll guide us to each next step to make it happen. 

Let’s believe that what He wants to accomplish through us will not be impossible if we trust Him.

“for nothing will be impossible for God.” – Luke 1:27

Open my eyes, that I may see You. Open my ears, that I may hear You. Open my heart, that I may love You in the people around me.

SIDE NOTE: The women’s a cappella quintet I sing with, Grace Notes, has been invited to join the terrific men’s vocal ensemble Sonnenberg Station in a FREE CONCERT that is open to the public on Sunday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 2726 West Market St. in Fairlawn, across from Marc’s. Both groups will perform our own pieces and we will also sing a few together. This will be a fantastic concert! Hope to see you there – invite your friends!

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2025 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below.  Comments are always welcome! 

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list. 

You can also find my posts on my Facebook page!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home and around the world. Donate to a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the people around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

What Do You Want?

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Our friend Len shouldn’t be alive today. Watching him build a fence around his yard and remodel their home, you’d never know that this man, now in his 70s, almost died. Twice. Len had a near-death experience 45 years ago, and more than 15 years ago was told he had months to live. He was in so much pain that he asked God to let him die. That’s when someone suggested he see an MD in Cleveland who had a reputation for treating -- and healing -- terminal cases like his. Len made an appointment and let this physician, Dr. Issam Nemeh, treat him in his office. Len was healed immediately. Later, when he saw his own doctors, they were shocked. 

Dr. Nemeh is adamant that it’s God, not he, Who does the healing. He’s quick to point out that Jesus healed people 2,000 years ago and continues to heal people today.

In Mark’s gospel we read about the blind man Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). As Jesus walked by, Bartimaeus cried out, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus called him over and asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”  

Why did Jesus ask him this? Wasn’t it obvious that Bartimaeus wanted to see? Jesus asked because He wanted Bartimaeus to have clear in his mind what he wanted Jesus to do. If Bartimaeus could see, his life would change, so asking took courage. Christ also wanted the crowd to see the connection between Bartimaeus’ faith and his healing. 

Do you want anything from Christ? Any kind of healing? Physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual? How would you answer Christ’s question?

He’s asking you: “What do you want Me to do for you?” 

Maybe you want Christ to ‘make it better’ but haven’t asked Him for anything specific. Maybe you’ve become complacent. Maybe you’re afraid of what might be asked of you if you’re healed. Maybe you don’t believe Christ can heal you.

Christ wants you to trust Him to do for you what you want Him to do. He wants you to ask so that He can heal you. When you ask Him for anything, your humble prayers acknowledge His power, and your faith is strengthened. When you ask Him to rid you of your pain, you become more like Christ because He, too, begged the Father to spare Him the pain of His passion and death. When your prayer isn’t answered as you wanted it to be, ask Him to use your pain for some kind of good for someone else. That gives purpose to your suffering. 

Let Christ open your eyes to how our loving God can heal you, strengthen you, bring you closer to Himself and, in the process, make you more like Him.

 “Jesus said to (Bartimaeus), ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ The blind man replied to Him, ‘Master, I want to see.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go. Your faith has saved you.’”

–Mark 10:51-52

“Lord, ________________”

(If you’d like to hear Len’s story, go to BLIND FAITH LIVE! Real People. Real Miracles. on Apple Podcasts   Scroll way down to November 25, 2013, and you’ll find “The Miracle Story of Leonard.” In this podcast, Len and Dr. Nemeh relay Len’s story to the radio personality you may know as Trapper Jack.)

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

"I CAN SING!!"

“What’s going on??” For some reason my voice went hoarse Easter weekend, especially when I sang. I wasn’t sick; was it allergies? I was already taking an antihistamine. I was concerned because some friends and I were planning to sing at a nursing home that Thursday. 

Monday when I tried singing, no sound came out on most of the notes. Tuesday I could sing only low notes, and those didn’t sound pretty. 

I texted my friend Patty. Patty has the gift of healing, and God has healed other people through her. She said she’d gladly pray over me. I knew God could heal me; did He want to? One of my daughters said, “I’m sure He wants to make you feel better right now! He might just have a different plan that’s better!” Those were wise words!

Patty invited me to her home Wednesday afternoon. First, we had a wonderful visit on her patio. Then I described my voice issue and, before she started praying, I asked, “What am I supposed to do?” She replied, “Don’t do anything. Don’t try to make anything happen. Just let Jesus love on you. You might not feel anything happening, and that’s OK. Just receive His love and His will for you.”

I closed my eyes and listened to her praying. After a few minutes she asked if I felt anything and I said, “No.” “That’s OK,” she said. “Just receive.” We sat in silence for a bit; I lifted my face toward the sun, eyes still closed, soaking in its warmth.  

Finally, I opened my eyes, smiled at Patty, and thanked her. “Don’t thank me,” she said. “Jesus is the one who does the work. God heals; I don’t.” We chatted for a while and then I left.

Back in the car, I noticed one of my other daughters had called, so I called her back. “The baby’s fussy,” she said. So, without thinking, I did what I often do with my grandkids: I sang to her. My daughter said, “She’s looking at the phone and smiling! She loves that!” 

Then I shouted, “Wait! I’m singing! I CAN SING!! I haven’t been able to do that all week!!” I was singing high notes, low notes – all the notes! “Thank You, God!!”

And then Thursday morning at the nursing home, all the notes came out, clear as a bell! We sang with broad smiles and I kept thinking, ‘Thank You, Jesus!’

“Look to God that you may be radiant with joy.” –Psalm 34:5

Patty points out that miracles still happen, and that God heals some people totally, some partially. Sometimes the healing is emotional or spiritual, not physical. 

If you feel a need for healing of any kind, the Encounter School of Ministry, which Patty is part of, is hosting an event tomorrow, Thursday, April 20. The evening includes music, a dynamic speaker, and opportunities for individuals to receive prayer. Here’s the info: 

“Thank You, Lord. Help us trust You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Unexpected Answers

 

“I thought that he would…” – 2 Kings 5:11

Naaman had been told that if he travelled to Samaria, the prophet Elisha would cure him of his skin disease (see 2 Kings 5:1-15). When Naaman got there, Elisha sent him a message to go and wash seven times in the Jordan River. That’s it; just wash in the Jordan, and his skin would be healed. At this, Naaman became angry and started to leave. “I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the spot and cure me” (verse 11). Naaman may have been angry because Elisha himself didn’t heal him; plus, Naaman had to put in some effort to bring about his own healing.

Do we turn away from our Lord when He doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want Him to? Do we expect Him to swoop down and fix everything for us? Do we neglect the hard work He asks of us to solve our problems? God always answers our prayers, not necessarily in the way we want Him to but in His way, because He knows what’s best for us. And while He doesn’t cause sufferings, in His wisdom He permits them. Just as Naaman’s illness led him to the prophet, God knows that our challenges may draw us closer to Him.

Through prayer, God changes either the situation or our attitude toward it. Everything He does, He does because He loves us. He wants us to come closer to Him. He wants to make us holy.

I thought that He would…

            …instantly and miraculously cure me.  Instead, maybe God’s teaching me to trust Him; maybe He’s teaching my caregivers compassion. Maybe He’s asking me to take steps that will help me feel better or foster the healing I’m praying for.

            …let me win the lottery. Instead, maybe He wants me to wash away my wasteful spending habits or look in a new direction for employment.

            …take away this one particular struggle. Instead, maybe God wants me to spend more time with Him in prayer so He can speak to my heart about how to handle it in a loving way.

Take to heart the words of the prophet Joel. Draw near to our Lord and He will bless you with His love, His peace, and His joy – the ultimate answer to all of our prayers:

“Even now, says the Lord, return to Me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.” –Joel 2:12-13

“Show me, Lord, Your way, so that I may walk in Your truth.” (Psalm 86:11)

Thank you for reading my reflection. Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

p.s.

You may help the besieged people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association using either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

If you prefer to write a check, make it payable to Cleveland Maidan Association and mail it to:

Pokrova Ukrainian Church

6812 Broadview Rd.

Parma, OH 44134

 

 

 

Signs Are All Around Us

 We read in the Gospels how Jesus’ followers kept close to Him and eagerly listened to Him tell of God’s tender love for them. As a result, their love for Him and their faith in the power of His love brought about miraculous healings for themselves and their loved ones.

In Mark’s Gospel, after Jesus had healed several people, the Pharisees confronted Him:

“To put him to the test they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. Sighing from the depths of his spirit, he said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

–Mark 8:11-12 

Jesus ‘sighed from the depths of His spirit’ – He was exasperated with their refusal to acknowledge the miracles as signs of God’s love. In contrast to the faith of Jesus’ followers, the Pharisees had a suspicious, stand-offish attitude. They weren’t going to follow Jesus, and they didn’t want His love. They just wanted to see Him perform some kind of trick, and He didn’t oblige them.

Sometimes we refuse to see the signs we already have of God’s love and, instead, demand more ‘proof’ from Him. But Christ doesn’t want us to come to Him only when we want something. He wants us to have faith in Him, love Him, and let Him love us. He wants us to see the signs of His love all around us.

What are these signs? There are too many to count: the magnificence of a gorgeous sunrise; His love expressed through our family and friends; His peace when we turn to Him in difficult times; His grace and never-ending forgiveness; His Holy Spirit, Who lives in us and gives us the peace, strength, and courage to love as Jesus loves. Look inside your heart for the signs of His Spirit at work in you:

                When you’re generous, you’re imitating God’s generosity.

            When you’re patient, you’re imitating God’s patience for you.

            When you’re kind to someone who isn’t kind to you, you’re following Christ’s example to turn the other cheek.

            When your heart aches because someone else is hurting, you’re imitating His compassion.

 Acknowledge with gratitude the signs of God’s love all around you. The more we look for these signs, the more we’ll stay focused on God, and the more we can love as He loves. Stay close to Him through the Scriptures and the sacraments, and you will have everything you need.

“Lord, help me grasp and appreciate Your immense love for me.”

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Faith Is Power

  “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” –Luke 17:6

Imagine:  trees uprooting themselves and moving to another location. That’s impossible! Yet Jesus’ point is that, when we put our faith in Him and His loving power, what we think is impossible can become possible. What do you wish was possible? Maybe it’s to break out of a cycle of sin or forgive that particular someone – including yourself? Maybe it’s overcoming an addiction, finding gainful employment, or being healed? Whatever it is, ask God for His grace and power to help you make it happen.

Faith gives us courage to believe the promises of Christ. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Believe that God loves you and wants you to spend eternity with Him! Believe that Christ made that possible through His own death and resurrection, which proved that Love is more powerful than the evil that tried to destroy Him.

Faith helps us trust God, knowing that His ways are not our ways. We may ask God for greater faith and then seek out His wisdom. As Augustine of Hippo said, “I believe so that I may better understand. I understand so that I may believe.”

Faith doesn’t solve all our problems for us, and having faith doesn’t mean we’ll never worry. Think of Mary and Joseph traveling for a day toward home from Jerusalem and then discovering that 12-year-old Jesus wasn’t with the large group (see Luke 2:41-50). Of course they were worried! They were also proactive: they asked their fellow travelers if anyone had seen Him and then went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. They certainly asked God to protect Him and guide them to Him. After a few days they found Jesus in the temple, conversing with the rabbis. He was surprised they had worried: ‘Didn’t you know I was right here the whole time?’

Imagine Christ saying to you, “Follow their example. When you’re worried or struggling, come to Me. Trust that I’m always here, right beside you. Have faith in Me and My love for you. I want you to know true joy; I want to ease your burdens. Ask Me to show you the next step. Let Me pour My wisdom, strength and courage into your soul. Let Me fill you with My peace.”

“Lord, I believe in You. Increase my faith. Help me trust in Your loving power so that, with You, I can do the impossible.”

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Gifting Each Other With Prayer

 

“I’ll pray for you.” What a wonderful gift we give to someone when we ask God, the Creator of the universe, to help them in whatever way is needed for that particular situation. This is what we call ‘intercessory prayer.’ We give ourselves the same gift when we pray for ourselves.

I believe God designed prayer to be both spiritual and intellectual; I believe that prayer is most powerful when we pray for something specific, and visualize what we are asking God to accomplish as if it has already happened. Even while praying recited or repetitive prayers, like the rosary, we might picture the scene or the person we’re praying for. Here are a few examples you might want to try that have been taught to me over the years:

Someone’s physical health is poor? While you ask God to heal them, picture that person’s body being healed. Picture them in their home or hospital bed or wherever they are. Picture an army of white blood cell “soldiers” battling their illness. Picture Jesus laying His healing hands on the person as their body heals. Picture Him calming their fears, taking away their pain, and helping their body relax. 

If someone is in need of emotional, mental, or spiritual healing, ask Jesus to shower His blessings on them. Picture Him placing His hands on their head, pouring His peace into their mind and their heart. Picture Jesus standing with His arm around the person’s shoulder, offering words of comfort and encouragement. Ask the Lord to let the person feel His love and presence.

Are there relationship problems? Ask Jesus to act as a loving mediator. Picture Him standing in the room with the people who are estranged from each other, His open hands inviting them to reconcile. Picture the tension between them fade as healing and forgiving powers wash over them, wrapping them in His peace. Picture the people smiling at, shaking hands with, and even hugging each other.

Many of our struggles are caused not only by the circumstances but by the stress we feel because of those circumstances. That’s why, in my opinion, we add power to our prayers when we pray for another’s peace of mind and heart as well as their physical health.

Jesus promised to be with us; let’s be generous in gifting each other with our prayers.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20

“Lord, help me to pray my prayers with sincerity so that Your will may be done and the world will come to know you and the power of Your love.”

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Suffering and Miracles

 Our friend Len shouldn’t be alive today. An active man now at age 70, he’ll tell you that 45 years ago he had a near-death experience, and 15 years ago was told he had maybe 18 months to live. Len was in so much pain that he asked God to let him die. That’s when someone suggested he see an MD in Cleveland with a reputation for treating -- and healing -- terminal cases like his. Len met with this physician, Dr. Issam Nemeh; what happened next shocked and baffled his doctors. 

The Bible is full of stories of people being cured of physical and mental ailments. Many, like the blind man Bartimaeus, were persistent in asking Jesus to heal them (see Mark 10:46-52). Even today, we hear of people being healed miraculously, outside of medical explanation. We may wonder why God allows suffering in the first place, and why some people recover and not others, with medicine or without.

 One way to look at this is to ask, “Why do athletes endure brutal practice sessions?” They suffer to reach their goal: winning. Yet not everyone wins, even if they practice.

 Our ultimate goal isn’t to live on earth forever. Our ‘winning’ is living in perfect Love, which is eternal life with God. Our earthly sufferings can help us reach that goal. Yes, illness and other difficulties cause us great pain and distress. When we ask God to take away our pain or use it for some kind of good, or when we ask Him for the grace and wisdom to get through a particular hardship, these humble prayers acknowledge His power and move us toward Him. Whether or not we’re healed, or if our prayer is answered in a way different from what we had hoped, we have brought ourselves closer to God. When others care for us in our illness, or support us in our difficulties, they become more like Him; they show us His love. All of this can bring all of us closer to Him. That’s our goal. 

 Our sufferings can help us know that God is with us always; He is alive, loving, and powerful.

 Len was healed immediately. Dr. Nemeh stresses that it’s God, not him, Who does the healing.  You can listen to Len and Dr. Nemeh tell their story to the radio personality you may know as ‘Trapper Jack’ on this link:

https://blindfaithlive.com/the-miracle-story-of-leonard-debenedictis-blind-faith-live-episode-19/#sthash.zQDNiuAJ.dpbs

 

“Lord, remind me to turn to You when I’m suffering.”

 

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