SATURDAY . . . Why I Worship

We began the day at the pool of Bethesda. Jewish tradition says that those needing healing would gather at this pool to be healed. They would watch the water intently waiting. Then an angel would pass over and "stir" the waters. When those waiting saw the "stirring", it was imperitive to be the first in because only the first one in would be healed. Well, as you can imagine, this had to be an extremely frustrating things for most as those needing healing probably didn't move very fast at all because of their "infirmity". Can you imagine the aggrivation? This is where the man who was considered "an invalid" waited. Ok, so when I think of invalid, I think of no ability to move whatsoever. So he waited there for 38 years for his time to be the first in the pool. Why didn't he just give up? I mean, seriously. What were his chances of being the first in the pool out of this crowd? The odds are there is going to be at least one person that will always beat you. And that obviously was the case because he had been sitting there . . . waiting . . . for 38 years. Then one day, the Messiah walks up and says, "Get up." Done. Story over. He takes up his bed and away he goes . . . healed by this One called Messiah. Wow. It kind of makes me laugh. The perseverance this man had. I mean, 38 years. My age. I think of things that I'm waiting on and wonder if I have the same tenacity, or should I say faith, to stick it out until the Messiah walks up and answers the cry of my heart. Please find me faithful!! Until then, I worship because I know He will answer.

Interesting fact: There are 5 porches surrounding the pool. 5 is the number of incompleteness. How “ironic” that there are 5 porches filled with people who lacked something. But the church leadership at the time ignored the movement of God and didn’t acknowledge the healings. At the pool, God was moving; but leadership didn’t pay attention to His movement. How sad that 2000 years later, this is still happening. I worship because God moves regardless of the body's acknowledgement being appropriate or not.

At this site, there is a beautiful church built that has the most amazing acoustics. Our team entered when there was hardly anybody in there. We took a seat at the front of the sanctuary and began to worship. At some point, while we were in there, a huge group from Canada and Asia joined us. It was a very cool moment of worship as this group added to the “every nation every tongue” factor of worship. I worship because that's what He asks me to do.

We ended the day at Caiaphas’ House. This is where Christ was accused but never found guilty. I never put this together but He was never found guilty. In order for the Sanhedrin to convict someone of the religious crimes they are accused of, there must be a unanimous declaration. The Sanhedrin were not able to come to this decision because Joseph of Arimethea (who “loaned” his tomb to Christ) and Nicodemis would not agree with the rest of the Sanhedrin. So, Christ was arrested and tried but NEVER FOUND GUILTY. Oh, what He did for us. I worship because of what He did for me.