Invalid

God created all men to be wonderful, beautiful, good, powerful, unique, exceptional, extraordinary and impactful; whatever that makes man to function less is an intruder, unwanted and not to be accepted. If this ‘intruder’ is not dealt with early,it becomes part of man’s existence. The text reveals a place full of impotent folk, of blind (not because they may not have eye balls, but they lack the ability to see and foresee); halt-(those wounded by others or by life itself); withered- (paralysed, another word could be crippled).

This reminds me of the man in Acts 3:2 to whom the Bible said was crippled from the mother’s womb: “And certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple.” Some people’spredicaments and challenges began even before they were born; the male babies born the same time with Moses were sentenced to death even before they were born; that is why Moses has no age mate for all the peopleborn around the time he was born were all killed at birth.“And Pharaoh charged all his people saying every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive,” Exodus 1:22.



People are challenged differently. The author of John’s gospel singled out a particular man who was invalid for 38 years: “And a certain man was there, which had infirmity thirty and eight years,” John 5:5. We are not told when the sickness began, but this sickness lasted for thirty-eight years.

This made him to settle among those that had similar problem like himself — invalid, impotent, blind, halt, withered, wounded. The word invalid does not mean they were totally useless or that nothing good was in them.In Romans 7:18-19, Paul was explaining his spiritual state at a time when he said: “For I know that in me (that is in my flesh)dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not that I do.” This was a moral state and internal struggle, which Paul experienced. To these folks their condition was not moral nor spiritual, but physical: the social gathering others attended they could not even though they wanted to; the ceremonies and festivities, staying with their families even though they wanted to; they could not; all the good things of life, which they desired ended up as mere wish that was never fulfilled; there is an extent that desire not met will become undesirable.

What a pity, what a life! The word translated ‘impotent’ by King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is the Greek: ‘as-then’-eh-o; meaning diseased, sick and weak. It is from the root word: ‘as-then-ace’ meaning something that has no strength:feebler, extremely weak. It is the same asinvalid.

Some versions translated the word to mean: ‘disabled, sickor paralysed. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (10th Edition),the word‘invalid’ is defined as: “not legally or officially acceptable;not based on all the facts and therefore not correct, andthat which cannot be recognised.” To say something was invalid means that it lacks merit of acceptance.

These folks were not accepted anymore by their family, relatives or friends; they were no longer recognisedor invited; they were like expired license or motor particulars. The Psalm in explaining this condition said: “I was a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and fear of my acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me,” Psalm 31:11. They were harassed and neglected because they have lost their authorisation to be relevant, and have lost the power and ability to function.

• Sometimes time can make a thing invalid. • Sometimeslack of witness can make a thing invalid. • Sometimes signing a thing incorrectly can make a thing invalid.

• Sometimes when a party is coerced or manipulated it can make it invalid. • Sometimes when something is worn-out it becomes invalid. To be valid is to be legally recognised, when you have a valid document you are granted access, but when something is invalid it may become stagnated.

These men were stagnant because they were invalid. They were no longer accepted or invited because they were invalid. Sometime to be invalid makes something vulnerable.

People who are caught with invalid documents are sometimes arrested and imprisoned. Jesus asked the invalid man: “Do you want to be made whole?” (John 5:6). It is one thing to be in a bad condition and another to have the willingness to be free.

The Divine voice still echoes: “Do you want to be made whole?” • A man who is intelligent and of good age, but lacks capacity to take care of a woman or a home is ‘maritally’ invalid. • A woman who is beautiful and elegant, but lacks the ability to submit to a man may be considered invalid. The brothers of David were great warriors in the Israeli Army; good looking,but were invalid before God: in paraphrasing 1Samuel 16:7 — God said to Samuel look not on his look; he may be tall, well built, handsome; rich, connected but he is invalid.

They were not recognised to seat on the throne of Israel. Physical ability is not all that is required to make one valid. Saul at a time was still seating as the King of Israel, but invalid; for God has rejected him.

Today, so many people are occupying leadership positions, but are invalid; they are mentally, psychologically invalid; some are humanly invalid (they lack humanity), spiritually, morally and communally invalid. • Venerable Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector,Ibru Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State (08035413812). • A leader who is ready to destroy the communal good because of selfish interest is invalid.

• A leader who is insensitive to the challenges of those he is leading is invalid. • A leader who is greedy and lacks the capacity to deliver the required needs of the people is invalid. • A pastor with a good outfit, rhetoric ability and public applause, but lacks the presence of the Holy Spirit is invalid.

• Ajudge who does not stand for justices, but have price tag to justice and does not defend the right of the oppressed nor stand for justice is invalid. People who are invalid are mostly the worst complainers: “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 steps down before me,” John 5:7. Invalidity can make a person to be over taken by others.

They see people as their problem; they feel someone is responsible for their sickness, for their failure, poverty and lack of achievement, among others. The worst thing that can happen to a man is to be surrounded by people that disvalue him, the worst thing that can happen to a nation is to be surrounded by leaders that disvalue her policies, governance and security. Avoid people that don’t value you.

Invalid people turn lazy because they lack the capacity to function; when you become invalid (impotent) you become unimportant. Let Us Pray • Oh Lord,Jesus Christ!Every force disvaluing me; grant me grace to distance myself from them! • Oh Lord,Jesus Christ! Help me to shift my focus from men to you no matter the circumstance. • I declare by God’s mercy that I shall not be a burden to my family and those close to me.

• Lord,Jesus Christ,destroy every laziness that cripples my existence in the name of Jesus Christ. • Oh Lord,Jesus Christ!Set me free from anything that invalidates me. Freedom At Last When the Lord saw him and knew that he has been in that condition for a long time He had mercy upon him; may you receive mercy; now! In John 5:8, the Lord said to him:“Rise, take up your bed, and walk.

” I declare over your life; be free from that chain. Be set free from anything and everything that made you invalid in the past. Whatever that has kept you stagnated; may they expire in Jesus’ name! • Venerable Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector,Ibru Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State (08035413812).

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