Prepare for Extravagance

The new year is upon us. This means everyone is gearing up to make resolutions that will last as long as a Texas snow fall. We try and force ourselves to “work harder” “eat less” or “try more” and it never seems to succeed. At least for me it has been a fruitless endeavor. Why? Maybe it’s because we are not prepared?

A few years ago I felt the Lord encourage me with this phrase, “Prepare for extravagance.”  OK Lord I’m listening! I was not sure what constituted extravagance for the Almighty, but I knew I wanted it. I was looking forward to my 6 figure job, my new car and some sweet heavenly visions. Whatever He wanted to give.

What I actually got was 3 children, a birthing into my calling and relationships that have blessed me beyond measure. I truly have been living in extravagance these past 3 years.

And yet…

… I’m anxious…

… I’m fearful…

… I’m frustrated …

I’m not living daily in the extravagant peace and rest I know is the norm for the Kingdom of God. So where is my extravagance here Father?

Maybe I’m not prepared?

Today after a run I asked Papa this question: “What does it mean to prepare?” I’ve asked that question a few times before and never really understood it. But today the Holy Spirit gave me insight to my own heart that I want to share with you.

I began to think about the word pre and pare. Pre means to do before, in advance, or ontologically prior (I had to use my philosophy training someplace). Pre is about existing or doing “before”.

Pare is an Middle English term that means to “to trim off an outside, excess, or irregular part” or  ”to diminish or reduce by or as if by paring”. source

This makes some intuitive sense. The outside linebacker prepares for a new NFL season by trimming off excess fat or weight that slows them down. Businesses prepare for tough economic times by shedding excess. And this must be done prior to the season or recession or you’ll get caught in some very tough situations.

For me, if I am to “prepare for extravagance” I must submit to a process of having excess or irregular parts of my heart or character diminished or reduced. Hmmmmm… this passive waiting for awesomeness just got really hard!

Sometimes we miss the simplicity of heavenly instructions because of the awesomeness of blessing. Yes Father wants to lavish extravagance upon us. So in order to build in His children the intimacy and character necessary to hold the blessings He must pare our hearts and minds. We live with thoughts and beliefs about God and each other that hold back our hearts from fully living into Heavens available freedom. Paring these thoughts brings freedom.

But this paring needs to be done prior to the blessings. Ever see the show “Lottery Ruined My Life”? That show is a case study in how financial windfalls ruin people who have not prepared for wealth. Blessings without character to administrate them often results in destruction. 

This new year brings amazing hope and opportunity because our Father is poised to pour out such abundance. But before this happens we must say yes, agree, submit to the powerful healing and reforming breath of the Living God to pare away anything in us that is irregular. And regular is Heavens regular, not earths. God might still pour out blessings on unprepared people. He’s done that for thousands of years. But also, for thousands of years one generation receives God’s abundance only to have it end in destruction because their hearts were not fully pre-pared. Jesus tells some stories with this theme in Matthew 24.

So if you are living in a season of paring please don’t give up! Your Heavenly Father who is storing up blessings for you (Psalm 31:19) is strengthening you in this day. There might be battle ahead. There might be parts of your heart or relationships that need to change. You might be asked to abandon irregular theologies that don’t sync with Heaven’s normal. You might even have to lay down that assanige view you’ve held of yourself for 30 years because the Holy Spirit says to your dead, trapped heart “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isa. 61:1)

But don’t forget, all this paring also has a pre. This is all happening because now is God’s before. And soon, the prepared Bride will meet her Groom pure and spotless on the day of his arrival. Soon, the prepared heart will fully rest in the Shalom of Heaven. Soon, the prepared church will steward the power of Heaven because they have the Heart of the Father. Soon, the prepared Christ will return and “The kingdom of the world [will] become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Rev. 11:15)

So for 2012 I resolve to be prepared. And I can only prepare if I submit to the Holy Spirit’s paring before His extravagance overwhelms me. Will you prepare for extravagance?