John 5:1-10 (Darby)
1 After these things was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem, at the sheepgate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a multitude of sick, blind, lame, withered, [awaiting the moving of the water.
4 For an angel descended at a certain season in the pool and troubled the water. Whoever therefore first went in after the troubling of the water became well, whatever disease he laboured under.]
5 But there was a certain man there who had been suffering under his infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 Jesus seeing this [man] lying [there], and knowing that he was [in that state] now a great length of time, says to him, Wouldest thou become well?
7 The infirm [man] answered him, Sir, I have not a man, in order, when the water has been troubled, to cast me into the pool; but while I am coming another descends before me.
8 Jesus says to him, Arise, take up thy couch and walk.
9 And immediately the man became well, and took up his couch and walked: and on that day was a sabbath.
10 The Jews therefore said to the healed [man], It is sabbath, it is not permitted thee to take up thy couch.

To stir means to put something in motion or to be active. A closer look into the account of John’s gospel, we discover that the stirring of the pool of Bethesda is only recorded here.
It may seem odd to sit around waiting for an angel to come and bring your miracle, many people are waiting for something to happen before they can experience their turnaround, including me.
Some are waiting for their doctors to perform a medical procedure. Others are waiting for a new job or hoping for their boss to give them a promotion and a raise. Some are waiting for the perfect marriage partner to come on the scene.
Sometimes, while we are waiting, we may be focused on the wrong thing, which may keep us from the miracles we are waiting for and the excuses we sometimes make to justify or excuse our condition.
There were many sick and lame people sitting under the five porches daily hoping it will be their turn to be healed.
There are so many people with issues like ours, worse and more desperate than us, waiting on the Lord for a miracle, what sets you apart from them?
You may not find any help among the people experiencing the same things you are, because each is fighting for themselves, like those at the sheep gate, who would help who?
The Angel of the Lord stirs the water for miracles daily, do we recognize the stirring as the hand of God or see them as a risk we’d prefer not to take? Sometimes we claim to want a miracle, but we’re not willing to believe God and act on His promises. We’re hanging around the pool of God’s supernatural power, yet never jumping in.
Jesus approaches one of the men, one who had been ill for 38 years and asks, if he wants to be well? Christ is asking the same question today. Perhaps you have some excuses for your inaction too. But be clear that you can’t just sit on the sidelines and make excuses, hoping God’s favour will somehow find you.
Steps of faith will almost always be necessary to release God’s miracles in our lives—and often He will tell us to do something that seems humanly impossible, silly, and disagreeable to us!
Jesus simply told him to rise, and take his mat, and walk. Jesus didn’t wait around to help him into the water at precisely the moment, He just tells him to rise and immediately he was healed.
Jesus, by this, seems to be saying: “Don’t jump into that pool and hope for the best. Jump into my pool. My water is not reserved only for the swift and timely. It’s not only for ones who jump in quick, at the right moment, but it’s also not a first come first serve system. My healing waters are for all. You can leap in any time, even now.” You can swim in His mercy whatever your situation. The pool is always open, the waters are always stirred, will you jump in?
You don’t have to be fast. You don’t have to be punctual. You don’t have to beat others to get there.
You only have to choose the right pool, the river of life, Revelation 7:17 and swim in it.
Shalom