31 Ways to Make Your Eternity Intentional – Go Beyond

I love how God gives velcro to the verses He wants to stick to our hearts in a specific season in our lives! For the past two years, this power-packed passage of Scripture has been a periodic whisper to my will. Yet at times it seems to shout, “Go beyond!”


Just on the heels of Jesus’ declaration of mountain moving faith we find these words…

“Will any man of you who has a servant plowing or tending sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, Come at once and take your place at the table? Will he not instead tell him, Get my supper ready and gird yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; then afterward you yourself shall eat and drink? Is he grateful and does he praise the servant because he did what he was ordered to do? Even so on your part, when you have done everything that was assigned and commanded you, say, We are unworthy servants [possessing no merit, for we have not gone beyond our obligation]; we have [merely] done what was our duty to do.” Luke 17:7-10 (Emphasis mine)

I remember the first time those verses jumped off the page like something from a pop-up book and I found myself reflecting on my life and at the end of those verses I wrote, “Lord help me go beyond.”

When you think about it, Jesus always calls us to more. 

In Matthew 5:40-45 we find these decrees…

Verse 40 – Don’t just give your tunic (undershirt). Give you cloak (coat) also.
Verse 41 – Don’t just go the requested one mile. Go the extra mile.
Verse 42 – Don’t turn away a request to borrow something. Give.
Verses 43-44 – Don’t just love the lovable and the ones who love you. Love your enemies. Love those who hurt you.

Verse 45 reveals why God calls us to go beyond – that what we do may reveal who we belong to.

We are children of the Most High God. Daughters of the King. More is not only asked of us, it is expected. Going beyond is part of how we let our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

So, here are a few questions to help us all examine whether or not we are just doing what is necessary to get by or are we going beyond:
  • Do I go out of my way to help others or do I only help if it is convenient?
  • At work, do I go beyond or only do what is necessary?
  • In my home, do I go beyond or do I only do enough to get by?
  • In my marriage, do I go beyond to love my husband or do I just do enough to get by?
  • As a mom, do I go beyond to love and teach my children or do I just do enough to get by?
  • In my church, do I go beyond to serve or do I just do enough to say I’m serving?
  • In my neighborhood, do I go beyond or do I just do enough to be a quiet neighbor?
  • In my community, do I go beyond or do I just do enough to keep out of trouble?
I know this isn’t popular It’s certainly easier to exist…to just be present. But God calls us to go beyond. And to be honest, if we are going to make our eternities intentional, we must go beyond. It’s the life we are called to.

How about you? Do you go beyond? What are some ways you go beyond? Has this challenged or encouraged you?

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