“That’s just the way it is
Some things will never change
That’s just the way it is
But don’t you believe them”
“The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
This song talks about the injustice in our country, with the general population concluding that things just aren’t going to change. That’s just the way it is.
But don’t you believe them!
If you are wanting change in this world, there is one person to believe in, and that’s Jesus. He arrived on this earth to shatter the concept of “business as usual.” For example, Jesus was in the business of doing things with a flair never seen before in that time and in our time. His first miracle was turning water into wine. And things from there just continue to get sweeter. So how about the healing of the paralyzed man at the pool in John 5:1-16. He had been disabled for thirty-eight years. Did he ever wonder if things would change for the better?
The Jewish religious institution had established strict laws against doing anything that would be considered work on the Sabbath, designated as the holy day of the week. The religious leaders of this institution were called the Pharisees. Well, Jesus didn’t appreciate all the excess laws the Pharisees attached to the Sabbath, so He healed the paralyzed man on the Sabbath. He did it intentionally on that day to place emphasis that He was indeed God and that the Sabbath day had no constraints on Him especially in regards to the all the laws created by the Pharisees. The story goes that as the healed man was carrying his mat, he was stopped and questioned by the Pharisees. They said, “Why are you carrying your mat on the Sabbath?” He said, “The man who healed me told me to.” Then the Pharisees searched out Jesus asking, “Why did you heal this man on the Sabbath?” Jesus responded, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
Jesus was working. He was working for change—a change for the better. Guess what? He has never stopped working. When Jesus says to you, “You’re healed!” Do you still sit on the floor, complaining that things are never going to change? No, you get up, take your mat and walk. Jesus came on this earth to fix the broken. The proof of this is in His power manifested through His miracles. He healed a multitude of people without a single medical instrument. He fed the five thousand without a kitchen. He broke through racial divides by talking to a woman who was a Samaritan. The Jews at that time despised the Samaritans because they weren’t fully Jewish and had different religious traditions.. He defied the natural laws of this earth by walking on water and ascending into the heavens without any strings.
So, what does Jesus really want? Jesus is looking at the end game. That is eternity, and He wants you there with Him. He wants to see your heart changed through repentance, to implicitly trust Him with a belief that goes beyond the facts. Even the demons acknowledge Jesus. See what James 2:19 says: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” Just having knowledge about Jesus doesn’t get you into the heavenly gates. Jesus requires a trust, a faith beyond just facts. A faith of giving up your life to the One who died for your sins and trusting Him to guide your life. A life always evolving and changing for the better. If there was a time when you accepted Jesus as your Savior, but your life had no change then I would recommend talking to Jesus to clarify where you stand with him. The reason is once we accept Jesus, He works in our hearts and lives to move us along to become more like Him and less like our sinful self. Just imagine how this imperfect world could be changed if more people let Jesus do His work.
But, then again, there is the other alternative, and that is to sit on the floor and say, “that’s just the way it is.”
Discussions to make God known 