Endless Praise 2017: Extravagant Love!

Greetings Friends ... Merry Christmas-Eve!

What a wonderful time to reflect on the extravagant love of God.

I am praying that you are enjoying this holiday season. For me … every time I think I have reached the limits of my strength – I find new territories and challenges await. For certain, 2017 has been quite a year for me personally – from health issues, financial challenges, work concerns and areas of spiritual struggle such as I have not encountered in the thirty-one years that I have been following Jesus.

Yet, one thing remains unchanged …

THE EXTRAVAGANT LOVE OF GOD!!!  

Lately, I have been listening to a song by Bethel called 'Extravagant.

It begins …

“You were a lover before time's beginning
You gave Your love freely withholding nothing
Jesus, my Jesus
You carried the weight of the world on Your shoulders
You stopped at nothing, to prove You were for us
Jesus, my Jesus”

The love of God ... It is truly an amazing love, an amazing grace!

Romans 5:7-8 tells us, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

He met us right where we were. He loved us right where we were. He loves us right where He finds us and He does not wait for us to get ourselves together. He only beckons us to Himself … to receive the free gift of salvation which He offers. It is truly mind boggling!

Just as the chorus of that song notes:

“It's extravagant … it doesn't make sense
We'll never comprehend, the way You love us”

It is a beautiful chorus. 

However, if I am completely honest, it is the second half of the chorus which gives me reason to pause. In referring to that EXTRAVAGANT LOVE, it continues:

“It's unthinkable … only heaven knows
Just how far You'd go, to say You love us”

Yet – the truth is that we do know how far He would go to say how much He loves us – to show just how very much He loves each and every one of us.

He would leave His majesty and the comforts of heaven, to come to a fallen world, to assume the humble and vulnerable position of a Child, to walk the path of life alongside His creation … to continue that trek beyond the point any of us would have ever been able to endure – to go all the way to the mount of Calvary … to hang and die on a cross…

Yet He did not stop there … to descend to the pits of hell to take possession of the keys to death and the grave, to relinquish the enemy of his power and death of its grip …

To demonstrate EXTRAVAGANT LOVE

No, we may never understand the ‘why’ … but we know the ‘what’.

And what He did was to give His life a ransom for many … for you … and for me

Therefore, while we understand that Christmas is a great time to remember His birth, we also know that it is just as great a time to reflect on His life, death and resurrection – an act of EXTRAVAGANT LOVE to bridge the gap between us and God, to afford us the free gift of salvation and eternal life.

It is just a matter of whether we will receive it or not.

In that beautiful song that I mentioned, there is a line which responds to this EXTRAVAGANT LOVE – 

“Here is all my love
It's Yours, no conditions
When You pull me close
No, I won't resist it”

Understand that He pulls every one of us close to Him.

He is Emmanuel – God with us!

Therefore, no matter how your Christmas season is shaping out … no matter what you have faced this year … no matter the disappointments that may have arrived at your doorstep … irrespective of the failings you have encountered…

He still stands before you…

With an everlasting, unchanging and unfailing EXTRAVAGANT LOVE!

And while it is often incomprehensible, it is FULLY available … to each and every one of us.

DON’T PULL BACK!

When He pulls you close … don’t resist.

Give all your love … freely … and fully!

A demonstration of EXTRAVAGANT PRAISE …

In awe of an EXTRAVAGANT GOD who is always deserving of the highest praise. 

In response to an EXTRAVAGANT LOVE …

Hallelujah!

I pray you have a very Blessed and Merry Christmas!

Zenobia