Extravagant and Excessive!

Extravagant - exceeding the limits of reason or necessity; extremely or excessively elaborate, profuse or lavish.

Excessive - exceeding what is usual, proper, necessary, or normal

If I were to claim that I did something that was extravagant or excessive, you would probably think I was being self serving or egotistical or that I was out of touch with reality.

But there is one who is extravagant and excessive.  What He does exceeds the limits of reason and yet what He does is totally consistent with who He is:

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight.” (Eph 1:7-8)

The incredible riches of His grace are lavished on us and it exceeds the limits of our reason and might even seem excessive.  But His grace is lavished upon us in a measure that is based on His wisdom and insight.

“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  (Rom 5:5)

His love is poured out in our hearts and it exceeds what is usual.  It is not a drop by drop thing or just a trickle.  But it may be, as one commentator suggests, more of a flood.  Yet it is not the type of flood that erodes or causes extensive damage because this flood is controlled by the Holy Spirit.  He knows the appropriate flow and He also knows the capacity of our hearts.

In a very real way, we are used to limited capacity and limited resources.  We are used to measuring things out and giving only what might be needed and we often hold back.  But not so with our God!  He is lavish with His grace and His love is poured out in our hearts.   He is the epitome of extravagance and excess.