Today is the beginning of lent. A time to take a reverent walk towards the reality of Easter. I want these days to count for something. More than just preparation of my heart for Easter, I want focus. I want application. I want to take the idea of lent and turn it into an activity.
One of the themes of my life these past couple of years has been, “If I want to grow closer to God, I have to distance myself from distractions.”
Mostly I’ve focused on what I need to give up. I’ve spent seasons giving up different things… TV, sugar, diet coke, and other life comforts. But this year for lent, my focus isn’t going to be on what I’m giving up. This year my reverent walk is going to have the theme of giving more. I’m calling it… “and then some.”
My Pastor preached an amazing message this weekend. Tucked inside this great message on “Honorology” was this statement, “and then some.” I can’t exactly remember why Pastor said this statement but I do know that God Himself started speaking to me.
The statement grabbed me.
It got all up in my business and interrupted me.
It challenged me past the typical and into the realm of atypical.
It pushed me out of what is common and into the zone of uncommon.
It made me want to release the propensity toward being normal and into being more like Jesus.
Jesus was the Master of “and then some.”
He came to save us but spent His first 30 years living in the trenches of everyday life. Can you imagine what patience and humility that took? To live for 30 years swallowing the reality that you are the King of Kings… doing chores, getting along with your brother, learning the art of carpentry, and figuring out what’s for dinner… it really is amazing.
He could have just appeared as an adult and started preaching His messages.
But He didn’t. He started at infancy identifying with us. Then, He started at 30 inspiring us. Him identifying with us made His inspiration more real, more authentic, more touchable.That was just the first of His, “and then some” living.
He taught, don’t just forgive your enemies- love them.
He taught, don’t just feed the 5000- have left overs.
He taught, don’t just pray for the lepers- touch them.
And then some.
And then some.
And then some.
So, this is my lent proclamation, promise, and premise this year. Each day I will take a reverent step toward Easter by implementing an “and then some” activity in my life.
Do something…and then just to glorify God, I’ll add in a little more. Reach past what is possible in my strength and grab hold of God’s strength. That’s how we add “and then some” to our life.
Atypical. Uncommon. More like Jesus. Yes, that’s what I want… and then some.
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The winner of the ‘phone chat with Lysa’ giveaway last week from this post is Lisa! Lisa posted at 11:30am that day. If this Lisa is you, please email Holly@Proverbs31.org to schedule this call.
I love this idea!!
Lysa, I love this idea. I am at a busy time in my life with going back to school, full time job, and family and I was trying to think of how I could incorporate ministering to others more. This would be perfect way for me to be able to do this in everyday life. It could be applied to so many aspects: work, family, and church.
Loved this in my inbox this week. And it has stuck with me. My and then some today was actually calling someone to pray with them instead of just saying I would pray for them and praying on my own.
So thanks for sharing. I get a little nervous sometimes about calling others to pray…or sometimes, just honestly, get busy. So glad God had encouraged me through you to do and then some.
Have a blessed weekend.
K
Great stuff!
This spoke so clearly to my heart…amid the many, MANY thoughts that run through my mind at the end of a busy day…a day filled with way too much focus on myself and so little focus on Him—I know He does not want us to “beat” ourselves over our shortcomings, but rather He wants us to learn from our failures and “less than exemplary” behavior and turn to Him…leave the nasties at the foot of the cross and move on leaving a little bit more of “us” behind. Thanks for this challenge…
Read your post last night and watched the Honorology sermons you referred to. I saw your Pastor on one of the MTC webcasts so knew I was in for something special before viewing. What I didn’t realize was that I would hear so much that applied to me. I discovered that I dishonor much more than I would have ever guessed because like so many I thought you had to be rude to dishonor. On my walk to Easter I am going to concentrate on honoring others and even more important, to cease the dishonoring.