Extravagance

I have always loved the word "extravagant." 

Something about it just sounds so... Extravagant. 

It brings to my mind luxuriant bubble baths.

Lush bouquets of red roses.

Exotic perfume.

Rich dark chocolate.

Thanksgiving feasts everyone walks away achingly full from. 

More than what is practical. 

More than what might be deemed necessary. 

More than the basics.

God seems to also love the idea of extravagance, I am finding.

He does not seem to be content to settle with a practical kind of love.

Practicality does not compel the God of Forever to the harshest, most ugly point in all of Time. 

Necessity not compel the Eternal to the cross.

The basics do not include loving the way He loves us. 

God seems to love extravagantly, I am finding. 

And He calls us to love the same way.

He invites us to enter into this overflowing exchange of extravagant love

Of impractical generosity

Of unnecessary kindness

Of life beyond the basics.

And I am finding that this extravagance flows several ways.

Like the extravagant gifts that are handed to our family by our home church, and other churches that have taken us in this summer.

Physical gifts of items that make our life easier.

Monetary gifts that support our life in ministry.

Gifts of time, and attention, allowing us to share our hearts with them.

Or like the impractical gifts we find ourself called to give others.

Gifts of our time and abilities, working and sharing.

Gifts of money or items that we find ourselves called to give.

Gifts of love and attention and conversation and life.

 And as we are called to give of ourselves extravagantly, 

We are in the same way gifted extravagantly.

In love

In life

In experience

And what an amazing existence, I am finding.

To dwell extravagantly.

To dwell with God.

To hold lightly to our possessions 

To our time

To our plans

Because The Eternal may choose at any point to interrupt us with extravagance.

And I, for one, am finding that I want to be ready to live extravagantly.