The X Factor... 38 Years... & on the Porch
- Dawn Y. Lavine
- Jan 30, 2022
- 3 min read
This morning as I heard my son, Elijah, pull out of the driveway on his way to church, I wished I was going to 'physical' church with him. But, as illness has touched our side of the house this past week, I was instead, listening to Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation Church at my kitchen table, while eating breakfast.
During his sermon, Pastor Steven used 'the X Factor' as an illustrative example. After years of trying to convince my boys that "Algebra will be an important life skill some day", the old struggle of "let's solve for X" immediately came to mind.
Regardless of the sermon hinting that it may hinge on Algebra, I continued listening. Pastor Steven referred to John 5:1-15, about the man who had been crippled for 38 years, sitting on one of the porches by the pool of water called Bethsada, where when the waters stirred, the first person into the water would be healed. When asked by Jesus why he sat there, the man gave the excuse that he had no help to carry him to the pool, that everyone beat him to the pool... for 38 years.
Did Jesus help the man to the pool to be healed? No. "Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." John 5:8
Pastor Steven pointed out that the difference was the 'X Factor' - the factor that was not calculated into this man's situation for 38 years. JESUS was the 'X Factor' that solved this man's dilemma.
Three things immediately caught my attention today: the X Factor; 38 years; and when Pastor Steven announced that "Jesus is on the porch today!".
The 'X Factor', as mentioned, drew my mind to our struggling enjoyment of the Algebra homeschooling days.
The 38 years caught my ear because today is my oldest son Brandon's 38th birthday (sorry Brandon, suppose I just blew your "I'm 29" cover... and my "I'm 46" LOL).
Then the statement of "Jesus is on the porch today", immediately flashed visions of years of little (and teenaged) boys Christmas Caroling (& Easter Caroling) on someone's porch. I always felt it wasn't just the boys arriving at someone's porch to stand there and sing carols... but that Jesus was there with them, coming to our caroling recipients alongside and through the boys, to comfort and spread cheer, with the message that The Lord loved them.
Pastor Steven pointed out how many of us 'stay in stuck', much like this crippled man had done for 38 years... until Jesus came to him.
That's what's so exciting for all of us! Jesus will come to us through the Holy Spirit - today, we don't have to stay stuck! He will be 'with us' through everything ... He will meet us where we are... even if we've been waiting for years... even on a porch...and in our case, even getting to those porches during our Christmas Caroling years!
With the reminder of porches today, it again prompts me to encourage families to begin now, even in January, to plan your little Christmas Caroling Gig for next year. If you haven't read "The Lavine Boys' Christmas Caroling Adventures 3-book series", grab them on Amazon while they're still deeply discounted, and ride along with us on our 15 years of Christmas Caroling adventures to see what it was all about. You too can make years of Christmas Caroling Adventures for your own family! Watch first hand as The Lord guides you to bring a little joy, through your little group, to those in your surrounding community. It will be well worth it. Homemade Memories That Last A Lifetime!
Be sure to check out today's Elevation Sermon at:
Click below to grab "The Lavine Boys' Christmas Caroling Adventures 3-book series" now for a limited time for just $6 each!
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