“If He can be extravagant with us, why can’t we be extravagant with Him?” I don’t know where I read this statement so my apologies to the original owner for not being able to give credit where credit is due.
I went on my usual word definition search and here is what I found:
Extravagant: extremely or unreasonably high in price
Lavish: expended or produced in abundance
Profuse: pouring forth liberally
Extravagant…extravagance – the words have a richness, an elegance that the most people cannot associate with themselves because these words usually apply to the wealthy and famous—certainly not to me and the average Joe and Jane Citizen.
But when ‘extravagant,’ ‘lavish,’ and ‘profuse’ are considered in light of the first sentence of this blog, these words do apply to all of us.
God was extravagant towards us because He did pay an extremely and unreasonably high price for us. He gave up His most precious Son to die on the cross as the payment for our sins. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Can you imagine what God went through to see His son beaten, broken, nailed to a cross and left to die? Given vinegar to drink, His side pierced? The pain and agony must have been unbearable for them both. And yet, His love for us was, and always will be, so extravagant that God and His Son willingly paid that extremely high price.
Not only is God’s love for us extravagant, but it is lavish and profuse. He pours out his love to us in abundance every day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. There is not a moment, a millisecond, that God’s love is not being lavished upon us. Jeremiah 31:3 says "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”
The Song of Solomon is probably the most ignored book of the Bible. It is not very often that one hears a sermon or a teaching from that book. Yet, it is a beautiful love story. There are two main characters in this book: the Bridegroom is God and the Bride is the church – every person who has accepted Jesus as their Savior. Yes, that includes you. And you…all of us.
There is a richness, an extravagance about the entire Song of Solomon that would take many, many blogs to discuss. However, there is one verse I want to mention here, found in chapter 4, verse 9: “You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes.” Do you understand what God is saying here? With just one glance from us, His heart is ravished (overcome with joy and delight). It is amazing to me that I can merely “glance” at God and He is overcome with joy and delight. Amazing, but true. He loves me and you so much and desires to have an intimate, loving relationship with us that when we give Him something as small as a glance that lasts less time than a heartbeat, He is overcome with joy.
If He is this extravagant with us, can we do no less than to be extravagant with Him? Part 2 coming soon!
3 comments:
Edwina:
You have given me a lot to think about. I love the Lord. Now, I wonder if I let Him know how much.
This blog has really touched my heart today. Tomorrow will be 6 months since my brother passed, and I am sorry to say that I was told by a friend of my brother how God loves us uncondontionally, he does not like the sin that we do but he still loves us. I felt so bad because me being saved and lived like I thought I was a good Christian, had to be reminded by a stranger about God's Love for us. Thanks for this one
Quiet Spirit - I'm glad I've given you a lot to think about - that is really one of my goals in writing these blogs. I pray that God will reveal Himself to you in a new and fresh way.
Jeanette,
I can hardly believe that it's been 6 months since James passed. I think of him often. Don't feel bad that anyone (stranger or not) reminds you of God's unconditional love. We all have to be reminded from time to time. Love you!!
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