Take A Galvanized Tub, Add Water And Prayer – III

As I mentioned, my Dad managed a Safeway store in Bethesda, MD and my Aunt Virginia lived down the street from the store – but there was no pool in this particular Bethesda – oh I imagine there were swimming pools, but I’m not aware of any of them manifesting healing properties.

My Aunt Virginia had her eccentricities, which might make the outside observer think we are related by blood, but of course that is not the case. I remember once, when the price of sugar was shooting sky high and the media was speculating (What else does the media do? It doesn’t report the news as a rule.) about its continued price increase and a probable scarcity of sugar, that she purchased quite the quantity of soda pop – I mean cases and cases. When I asked her why, she responded that she figured its price would go up as a result of the sugar situation and that she’d resell it at a profit. Now the thing is, if I were to say that you’d think I was messing with you; but I don’t think Aunt Virginia was kidding.

Anyway, Bethesda, MD was not the Bethesda mentioned in John Chapter 5 and it was not the one preacher Linwood had in mind when he filled his galvanized tub with water.

As Linwood warmed to his preaching I wondered about that tub up front in the church. I have to admit that while I saw the tub and saw the water in it that the thought, “Pool of Bethesda”, never occurred to me. But then his message moved over to John Chapter 5 and he started in on the mov’n of the waters.

“Oh, don’t you see those folks a-lying about that pool, and a’wait’n for the angel to come and stir those there waters? Can’t you feel their expectation? Some of them have a-been lying there for nigh up to 20, 30, maybe even 40 years – a ly’n and a-wait’n – and know’n that only one of ‘em would be healed the next time the waters be troubled.”

“But with Jesus there ain’t none of that scarcity of heal’n ‘cause thar ain’t no scarcity of love and compass’n. Nah my brother and NO! my sister – if you are here tonight and you need a touch from Jesus it ain’t “first come first served” it is - “all who come will be served!”

“And that’s what this here tub is a-do’n here right now, in this place, on this night. It’s a-here for all of you, it’s a-here for all of us. If you’un needs a touch from God tonight, I’m asking you to come, to come with you shoes off, to come with your socks off, to come with your pride off – to come and stand here in this tub and in this water – and we’re go’n believe that Jesus – not some angel – but that Jesus – will be here with us tonight in what I’m a-calling, “A Pool of Bethesda Service.” You all come and I’m gon’a pray for ya, and I’m asking Brother Bob to come and pray for you with me.”

Well – as I recall – the line formed down the aisle and one after another folks stepped into that tub filled with country water, and Linwood and I placed our hands on the folks, one by one, as Linwood’s wife, Gloria, banged out hymns on her electronic keyboard – they came, they stepped in the water, and we all prayed and worshipped and loved one another in Christ – believing indeed that Jesus was there with us – and of course Jesus was there – not just for the first one, but also for the last one, because with Jesus is isn’t, “First Come First Served”, with Jesus it’s, “All who come will be served.”