| Lavish God-Ephesians 1:8 |
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I've been thinking about the word "lavish." It isn't a word I use very often, but I like it. It has a certain flow as it rolls off the tongue. Lllllllavisssshhhhh. When I hear it, I think of birthday parties where someone went all out, over the top. I think of my kids pouring so much syrup over their pancakes that the entire plate is like a little syrup lake. I think of plush 18th century mansions. I think of billionaires yachts. I think of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. I think of luxuries.
Webster's dictionary defines it in its verb form as "to expend or bestow with profusion" In the adjective form it means: "expended or produced in abundance." It suggests that a possible synonym might be "squander" for the verb and "profligate" for the adjective. Both of these synonyms carry a negative concept with them. We see then the suggestion that something that is "lavish" is something that is used or given in such a huge quantity as to be (or at least appear) wasteful.
I've been thinking about all of this because of verse 8 in Ephesians 1.
1:8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding.
The "he" in this verse is referring to God. God lavished something on us. God gave us something in such a huge quantity as to be wasteful about it. (The greek word which is translated "lavish" literally means -to fill to overflowing) But He wasn't being wasteful. He was lavishing us with all wisdom and understanding. He knew exactly what He was about and He did it in wisdom.
So what was it that God in all His wisdom and understanding lavished upon us?
1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace, 8that he lavished on us.
Redemption, Forgiveness, . . . GRACE. God lavished us with grace. God gives it to us in such abundance as to appear wasteful!
Did you ever wonder if God's grace was big enough to cover your sin?
If your sins are like pancakes on the breakfast plate, then the lavishness of God means that your pancakes are drowned in the syrup of Grace! Your plate is full to overflowing with it!
May your lives be like plates full to edge with little lakes of God's grace. And may that grace spill over the edge of your plate onto the plates of the people you interact with every day. |
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