I Have No Man

I start with this picture tonight because it is my favorite. It has been for many, many years. When the church movie On Our Way Home came out there is a moment when the father (you know the guy, the actor from CHIPS)was out and had car trouble. He ended up going into a shelter or soup kitchen to see if there was a phone he could use. The director of the facility was very gracious and he allowed him to use the phone at his desk. When he sits down he looks at the wall and there is this picture by Carl Bloch, Healing at the Pool of Bethesda. In that very moment I feel very powerfully the Spirit and I feel the love of my Savior. I see myself as the man whom the Lord lifts and blesses and I also feel a responsibility to be about the Lords work, seeking out and striving to lift others. The feelings of unconditional love and acceptance from the Savior are very real to me and so it has been my favorite. There are so many pictures in the church that I love but this one is most powerful and special to me.

Last week in Elders Quorum Presidency meeting and then again today in our quorum meeting President Fawson shared an experience he had where for the first time in his life he turned on the mormon channel. He had a few extra minutes and felt inspired to do so, not knowing why as it had never been something he had listened to before. In that moment he heard a message about Christ at the Pool of Bethesda. The account is in John 5:2-9.

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, aRise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made awhole, and took up his bed, and walked:


President Fawson discussed this relative to our responsibility as home teachers. How many people when they are in need say "I have no man..."? How many people that were entrusted in my care echoed those same words? I don't think there is a single brother in the church that enjoys hearing the home teaching lesson and feeling the wrath of the Elder's Quorum President. I mentioned when I got this calling that it is one of my least favorite because I don't like babysitting brethren relative to home teaching. In the last two months that I have served in this calling I have been humbled and taught and have loved greatly this service. I have a much greater love for Home Teaching right now and perhaps that stems from being completely committed to it and wanting to do it well. I have been the recipient of so many blessings that I feel a great need to learn my duty and to do my duty.

In the picture it is the Savior who finds and heals this man. Our Prophet has taught us the importance of the one and our finding, serving, and loving the one. We have the opportunity to be on the Lord's errand and can be the instrument that he uses to lift the down trodden, to strengthen the feeble knees. All my life I have wanted to be one that the Lord could count on. There have been moments when I have struggled to be that person. I don't want to struggle with that any longer. When my arm is raised to the square and I promise to give all of my time, talents and everything that the Lord has blessed me to the building up of the Kingdom of God, I want to mean it. I don't want it ever said by one trusted to my care "I have no man". It is my hope that I can live my life such that I am in tune with the Spirit and that I will be quick to act on the promptings I recieve and not slow to remember the Lord my God.