Extravagant love

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how over the top blessed I am. It truly feels like my cup is overflowing with incredible thanfulness for:

an amazing God loving, laundry doing husband, the six incredible kids Gods put in our care, when saying goodnite to my kids - being able to tuck them into a warm, comfy bed, when my kids are thirsty – being able to give them a drink of clean water, lights that turn on and blankets to snuggle under, an oven that cooks my food, internet that while slow & frustrating is still available in my house, freedom to worship whenever, wherever & however, freedom to educate my children at home, stunning beauty out my own back door (not just talking about when Petes standing there!), books to read, music to play, long hot showers to take, opportunities that abound, Gods grace that is mine day after day, amazing friends, family and great neighbours to enjoy, walks around the garden, precious times at the dinner table, loud times at the dinner table, messy times times at the dinner table, downright crazy times at the dinner table.

I’m just getting started – but I know you’ll be getting the picture. God has poured out his love on us so extravagantly that I can’t help but be reminded of the scripture “to whom much is given, much is required”. I know that some of my list isn’t even an option for most of the world. He didn’t fill my cup for my own benefit, nor even just for the benefit of those around me that I know. He filled my cup for it to be poured out to all - emptied and filled, emptied and filled, over and over again. I’m loving reading my new Message Bible – Ephesians 5:1-2 he even tells us how we should pour ourselves out:

"Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that."

Did you get that?! We pour ourselves out by simply loving. But not just any kind of loving – extravagantly loving! Jesus held nothing back. He gave all he was. He wasn’t caught up in political correctness, or by what others may’ve thought of him, he hung with the lowest of the low – but didn’t stop there – he actually became friends with them! He didn’t stop to think before he loved, he didn’t put conditions on it. He truly put others before himself. He poured his cup out over and over, and the father filled it over and over.


Lord help me love like that. Don’t just let my cup run over but the whole jug! Let it leak, slosh over and splash everywhere, not cautiously, but let it spill out extravagant love wherever it goes!