I have three grandsons that I adore. Sadly, none of them live close to us anymore. When we get with them, whether they come to Idaho or we travel to them, all I want to do is spend time with them. I want to find out what they are interested in and what their plans and dreams are. I want to lavish them with my attention, my time, my money, my love. It’s been that way from the first time I saw them and continues to be that way no matter how much taller or older they get.
“In [Christ Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” [Eph 1:7-8 NIV]
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” [1 John 3:1 NIV]
Lavished. I do like that word. In the Greek there are two different words for what the NIV translated as “lavished.” In Ephesians, the word is perisseuo and means super-abounded. In 1 John, the word is didomi and means bestowed. Still, while I don’t always agree with the way the NIV translates something, I do like its use of the word “lavished” in these two verses.
God has lavished His grace upon us with all wisdom and understanding. God has lavished His great love upon us, His children! Can it get any better than that? I doubt anything can top that.
God’s grace and God’s great love. They are ours. We are His children. No matter what life throws at us. No matter what stumbling block the enemy of our soul tries to toss onto our path … nothing can overcome the fact that we have been “lavished” by God with His great grace and His great love.
Great reasons to lavish praise and worship on our Father God today!
