If you’ve ever seen an infomercial for…well, any product, you’ve probably heard the phrase so commonly uttered, “But wait, there’s more.” That has always screamed to me, “Our product isn’t good enough for you to want to buy it at the price we are selling it, so we have to add to it in order to get you to buy it.” Sometimes they throw in a second (or third) of whatever product they are selling, sometimes, they “give” you the accessories to go with it, or sometimes, they give you some other random trinket for “free.” In today’s passages, I see the phrase “and more” pop up in two different places, but it isn’t a marketing ploy.

            In 1 Samuel 14, Saul has issued instructions to the people that they are not to eat anything that day. Jonathan dips the tip of his rod into a honeycomb and it was rejuvenating. Having been away, could be given an exemption for ignorance, since verse 27 says that he didn’t hear the instruction. However, when the people tell him of his father’s instructions, he encourages the people to disobey that instruction by saying that Saul “hath troubled the land.” The people are hungry and when they see that Jonathan doesn’t care to obey, they go and eat as well. But being so hungry, they disobey the commands of the law and eat the meat with the blood.

            Saul makes an effort to fix the situation by building an altar and turning this into an opportunity to worship (not Saul’s only worship fiasco). When the lot is cast and Jonathan is revealed as the culprit, he only admits to part of his failure, but acknowledges the punishment that he deserves. Saul says, “God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.”

            On the other hand, in John 7, the people asked about the Messiah, “We see what Jesus is doing, can the Messiah do any more miracles than this?” (paraphrased) Jesus did everything they could have asked for in the Messiah, and more.

            These two remind me of Romans 5:20b, “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” In spite of the severity of Jonathan’s sin, in spite of any sin you could do, Christ is everything you need in a Savior…and more. When you think about all the blessings that come with faith in Christ, it is truly overwhelming. Just read through Romans 8 and see all the blessings that come with your salvation. Yes, you don’t have to go to hell, and yes, you get to spend eternity in heaven, but wait, there’s more! SO much more! It’s not a marketing ploy to get you to turn to Christ. It isn’t overselling an underwhelming product. Jesus is everything. Won’t you thank Him for His blessings today?