Today’s Daily Devotional By Pastor Joel Osteen September 26 2022

John 5:8, NLT

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

In John 5, Jesus healed a man lying beside the pool of Bethesda who had been crippled for thirty-eight years. Why did He tell him to take his mat with him? After all those years, that mat was dirty, ragged, and probably stunk. Why didn’t Jesus tell him to get rid of it? Because that mat was there to remind him of what God had done. It was part of his story. Whenever people asked him, “Why are you carrying that ugly old mat?” he would say, “No, this is a beautiful mat. It’s a reminder that God healed me.”

The reason God leaves mats from our past is not only that we’ll remember what He’s done, but so we can tell others. The mat means you’re healed, you’re forgiven, and you can walk again. You may still have your mat, but that’s simply to remind you of the greatness of our God. When you see other people who need healing, let them know that what God did for you, He can do for them.

Father, thank You for the mats from my past that are a part of my story. Thank You for healing me, forgiving me, and giving me a new life. Help me to remember what You’ve done in my life and to use my story to encourage others of what You can do for them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.