O Happy Day

After our wonderful service on the Mount of Beatitudes, we went to the Jesus Boat. Many of you have been here with us in the past. Several years ago, two brothers, who were fishermen we walking along the shore (sounds familiar…. Doesn’t it?) And they came across a nail in the mud and then another… and another. As they dug a little around the object, they knew they had found something extraordinary. A group of experts and volunteers descended on the site because they didn’t know how long they would have before the waters rose again and covered the boat again. They were able to rescue it and now it resides in this beautiful 5-story facility. Using our divine imaginations, we can look at this boat and believe that it is the very same one Jesus, spoke to the storm from. Isn’t it just like God to leave a testimony that he leads, guides and protects in the form of this ancient boat?

 

Now, Daddy has been trying to do his best to finish touring around 2pm. That’s our aim. For several reasons really… To give people a chance to reflect on what they are seeing and hearing. To allow people to rest and to get us out of the hottest part of the day. Well, this day, things didn’t go as planned. Pastor Thomas had asked for a noon boat ride, but it wasn’t scheduled till 2:30pm. Even though we arrived at the boat at noon we were going to have to hang out for quite awhile.

 

This did open up an unusual viewpoint. Pastor Jerry showed us how to get to the rooftop observation deck, which offers a panoramic view of Galilee. It was breathtaking!

Pastor was a bit distraught because our group was just having to find places to just hang out or lay around on benches, etc. (This made for some unusual photo shoots by none other than Mari… “Give me couture, not JC Penney!”) Yet, Pastor felt like he was disappointing people, etc.

It was almost time to get on the boat. Daddy was sitting there pretty low, but Doug, Pastor Jerry, Pastor Joe and Meg came to him having been on the roof in quite the prayer meeting. Daddy expressed his griefs… and they said “No, not at all. God has been with us in this place. We wouldn’t trade this delay for anything.” Pastor Thomas kind of looked them, “really? …. “Ok, I can receive that.” So they had prayer to get clear, for him and he prayed for Meg and his load lifted significantly.

Later, Pastor Thomas reviewed his own message of walking through stress. That it will come, but you must lift your eye to where He can be found in every situation. This is the only way to change perspective…

We stepped on the boat. There was such a sweet happiness just to be moving on. As is the custom, the sailors fly the colors of Israel and whatever nation is represented on the boat. We stood to sing the US national anthem as they raised our flag.

Pastor Joe shared later that when we sang our anthem the wind was blowing in such a way that the Israeli flag was behind the American flag, he said that God showed him Israel was protecting America in the behind the scenes. Then we sang Hatikvah the Israeli national anthem and the wind shifted and God should him America needed to be rightly related with Israel. Finally, I sang He Ne Mah Tov, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brothers live in unity.” Pastor Joe said the wind shifted again and the colors were flying side by side. We prayed for the unity of our two countries…

Pastor Jerry stood and asked the group what their favorite Galilee story was. People answered, Jesus

walking on water. Jesus drawing to a solitary place to pray. Jesus calming the storm. Pastor Jerry said all of those stories are wonderful, but your favorite Galilee story should be your own. You have follow in the footsteps of Jesus to be here. He has something special for each one. He began to share with us that during the lowest point of his life, he felt God beckon him to Israel. He called and Roby said, “no problem”. When Roby met Pastor Jerry in the airport, he said that Pastor looked so low he was not going to leave him, but go with him. How wonderful… Pastor Jerry said that being here by himself, he was at a loss of what to do… he had no group to take to holy sites, etc. Roby was driving them around the Sea of Galilee in the pouring rain. Pastor Jerry’s heart was about to explode from grief… he finally just said, “can you pull over, I’m going to walk… I’ll find you, you’ll find me.” Roby, “No problem.” Pastor Jerry got out of the car and began to walk and walk. He was thankful for the rain because it masked his tears and grief in its flow. He poured His heart out before God. He had walked almost a mile when he came to the walkway that had been built for the pope in 2000 (The pope never showed up, by the way. Pastor Jerry said he thought it might have been made for him.) When he began to walk on this grand walkway, the Lord spoke very strongly within him, “I am not finished with you.” Pastor Jerry said something just realigned within him and peace flowed over him. He knew it was going to be ok. He didn’t know how, but he was going to be okay. Roby found him somewhere around the primacy of Peter and they road back to Tiberius together.

Pastor Jerry shared this to say, his very personal, very real interaction with God was his favorite Galilee moment. He encouraged us to seek and find a very personal connection with God in the next moments and days…

It was on his heart that we sing, “We Speak to Nations”.

Hear the sound

The sound of the nations calling

Hear the sound

The sound of the fatherless crying

Who will go for us

Who will shout to the corners

Of the earth

That Christ is King

We speak to nations

Be open

We speak to nations

Fall on your knees

We speak to nations

The kingdom is coming near to you

Oh we speak to strongholds

Be broken

Power of darkness

You have to flee

We speak to nations

The kingdom is coming near to you

We speak to you

Be free be free

Hear the sound

The sound of the nations worshipping

Hear the sound

Of sons and daughters singing

We will go for you

We will shout to the corners of the earth

That Christ is King

We, then, just spent a little time in worship. There was such joy and peace as the wind blew across the water and our boat… It was on my heart to play my go-to happy song… these days. ;) “O Happy Day” by Jesus Culture. I came off the upper deck and several of us began to dance. Heidi and I were laughing and dancing. Pastor Jerry was two stepping across the hull. Mrs. Susan had stood to clap and there was such joy on her face, I went and asked for a dance… She kind of looked at me shyly, but took my hand and we had a wonderful jaunt across the deck. Laughter filled our hearts and the boat.

"Happy Day"

The greatest day in history, death is beaten

You have rescued me

Sing it out, Jesus is alive

The empty cross, the empty grave

Life eternal, You have won the day

Shout it all, Jesus is alive

He's alive

[Chorus:]

Oh happy day, happy day

You washed my sin away

Oh happy day, happy day

I'll never be the same

Forever I am changed

When I stand, in that place

Free at last, meeting face to face

I am Yours, Jesus You are mine

Endless joy and perfect peace

Earthly pain finally will cease

Celebrate Jesus is alive

He's alive

 

Oh what a glorious day

What a glorious way

That You have saved me

Oh what a glorious day

What a glorious name

Jesus!

Mari shared with the boat that she had asked Daddy to look around. Was this not exactly who he would want to be with if he was having a party? (Of course there were some of you missing), but everyone on this trip was joyful just to be where God wanted them for that moment. All of your friends are here. There aren’t any weirdies having breakdowns or people we all have to keep an eye on… or anyone complaining… we are all just happy to be here with you.

It was the truth.

One of the fishermen came down and taught us all our Jewish dance steps. We laughed and laughed. Pastor Jerry and Doug chest bumped at some point. James did a solo dance. Haha… This is my new favorite Galilee moment.

 …but that was before we experienced the next day… Tune in for more. ;)