Extravagant Generosity

I was a participant in a communion service this evening in which the worship leader had a meditation regarding extravagant generosity.

I think that we consider extravagant generosity to be an outstanding characteristic of people who -- well, give generously from what they have -- usually from their bank accounts.

Consider that we have a God who is extravagantly generous. He gives us life beyond our imagination. When I say that, I don't just mean life eternal, but I mean life abundant. Life lived in joy and grace instead of guilt and fear.

I met a woman on the recent Emmaus walk in which I participated. She was battling the idea that God is continually angry with her mistakes, that he is always finding fault with her sin. She wants to believe that he is loving and graceful, but I really got the feeling from her that this concept of a loving God is a challenge for her.

I can't imagine what faith would be like if I didn't believe that God was loving and full of grace. To me, God is extravagantly generous with his grace. He grants us forgiveness, but even more than that, he invites us into relationship with him. Is that not extravagant generosity? Is it not unfathomable that the creator of the universe wants to be in a personal relationship with us?

Extravagant generosity, indeed.

Image: Sky on the way to work this morning.