I have found comfort in thinking of God's love as always present, as intelligent and good, as wise and caring. I have been humbled in thinking of God as Love taking the initiative in the lives of humankind -- the kind of love that runs to meet us when we're bruised or battered or discouraged, and looking for something more than sympathy.
But extravagant? I had to think about this. And yes, from what I've learned of God's love, it does go beyond the bounds of what's reasonable. It is consistently more generous than I feel I deserve.
There's a bush outside my office window which in the fall was full of little brown berries. The birds spent several days eating it clean. Even now in January, sparrows, juncos, a pair of cardinals and a blue jay all take turns flitting in and out of this bush. I love watching the birds.
It finally dawned on me that God has given me this bush full of birds to cheer my work day. It is a gift. Once I quit taking such lively activity for granted, it became an expression of God's extravagant love. Who else could, or would, think to give me a bird bush?
One day they vacated it simultaneously in all directions. A split second later a hawk landed on the bush. How thrilling to see him so close. He may not have been thrilled, as he didn't catch anything that time.
Another day an antlered buck came walking around the corner of the condo, and paused to look in my window. He wheeled and disappeared when I looked up in amazement. Wow!
It can be awe-inspiring to consider these as little love-notes from an extravagant God.
How do you find God's extravagance in your day?
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