Our Extravagant God

Most of you know I have this "thing" about our "extravagant God" but it's been awhile since we've chatted about it.  Just to bring any of you who don't know me up to speed.  I have been fascinated with our limitless God since I was a kid. But in a special time in our lives as Bible Conference Directors we were a part of a team who picked a theme for each year's conference. Each year when the theme was picked our family began a journey led by God to teach us about that theme. 2004 the theme was  "Marvelous Grace, Matchless Love, Extravagant God" based around Ephesians 3:14-20.  The word "extravagant" is only used in a Bible paraphrase called The Message and interestingly it caused quite a stir. Thus began the adventure of experiencing our extravagant God.  There is much to this story but I'll save that for another time.  This week's lesson began like this:

In March we took a much needed week long vacation in a place that showed God's extravagance through nature. Isn't it gorgeous?!  During that week we also enjoyed something much less majestic and much more practical - a king-sized bed! :)  We talked later about how it would be nice to have a king-sized bed someday. Our bedroom is big enough for it so that's no problem but we have one of those TempurPedic type beds and love it. That's a problem because they are pricey.  So we just left the thought there.

Sometime later it appeared that we were going to acquire a little money that we hadn't expected and we decided if that worked out we would look at a king-sized bed. It didn't work out but the wish still lingered.

Friday was a very hot day and Friday night, date night needed an indoor activity. We decided to go "window shopping" - you guessed it for a king-sized bed. Guess what? They were "on sale" - $200.00 off through Sunday. Low end $2500.00 - High end $8000.00. CRAZY!  We left thinking it would be a long time before we got one of those beds.

Saturday I began to search Craigs list for an end table and what did I see?  Someone just listed a KING-SIZED TEMPURPEDIC BED, LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD, PERFECT CONDITION $1000.00.  You guessed it! We got it!

And do you see that Head and Foot-board?  We not only got the mattress we got the frame AND when we got home our neighbor-man and 3 of his young friends pitched in and we had our old bed tore apart, moved and the new one set up in less than one hour! That huge mattress is heavy but they helped my husband haul it up.  NOW THAT IS EXTRAVAGANT.  We purchased it all for AT LEAST $3000.00 less than it would have cost new (with the frame). 

Please don't get me wrong. God's extravagance is not always in tangible things. In 2004 we saw His extravagance through generous love of friends helping us in a multitude of ways while our family was in crisis. And the more than 270,000 species of flowers that are documented are testimony to His extravagance through creation. When our God does something, He goes all out!  So celebrate with me. Tell me one of your stories of His extravagance in your life.