Love Speaks - Extravagant Love

Mourning had become her constant companion. Her husband had died and all she had left were her sons and debt.  Debt so extravagant that the creditor had notified her he was coming to get her sons.  Hopelessness and desperation were her first reactions.  What was she to do without her husband and soon without her sons?

In the midst of all this, she remembered what her husband had told her about God.  He told her God was just and fair.  He cared about all His children and was a very present help to those in need.  Her husband even told her God was on her side and would not let evil come near her.

With all the strength in her bones and conviction in her heart, she cried out to Elisha, the man of God her husband had served very well.  She reminded Elisha how her husband had been faithful to God and how he revered God.  Through her tears and frustration, she told Elisha the creditor was coming to take the most precious things she had on earth, her sons. 

The love of God spoke through Elisha, “What do you have in your house?” This nameless, broken, frustrated woman only had a pot of oil in her house.  Growing sons, debt, needs, and all she had to live on was a pot of oil.  She needed so much more than to pay the debt.  She was in the perfect place for an extravagant love miracle.

This time she had to stand on the faith her dead husband was committed to. This time she had to trust the man of God her husband trusted and served.  The spotlight from heaven was on her and what she did in the next few minutes could change her life forever.

Whether it was her desperation that motivated her to follow the words of Elisha, or her enduring hope, scripture does not tell us.  However, it does tell us she followed the instructions, and as she poured the oil in each borrowed vessel the little oil she had continued to flow.  As it flowed into the first pot, the burden of desperation began to lift.  The oil kept flowing and depression, mourning, bitterness and the feelings of being destitute kept lifting.  The more the oil flowed the more her joy was restored, life was restored, and hope was restored.  Only when the pots were all filled did the oil stop flowing.

Extravagant love begins small just as the oil began in one pot.  As you allow God to pour you out to the world, He created you to be the light in, the oil will flow from person to person, city to city, nation to nation.  The oil of love will continue to flow until it reaches the last person on earth.  Love never fails.

Wars fail. Fighting fails. Bitterness fails. Control and manipulation fail.  They fail to bring peace.  They fail to end hunger.  They fail to return husbands and wives back to the family.  They fail to deliver the oppressed.  They fail to restore the joy to a sinful soul.  They fail to fill the earth with morality.  They fail.

Most importantly, extravagant love of the Father poured out to His children never fails. It reaches to the highest mountain, and it flows to the lowest valley.  The extravagant love of Jesus poured from His words. It poured from His silence. It poured from His torture and death.  His extravagant love for us poured out in victory at His ascension into the heavens where He left the Holy Spirit to continue to pour His extravagant love in us.

Love speaks extravagantly when the Holy Spirit lives in the children of God.

This challenge to love as Christ loves cannot be done in your own strength.  It is only available to those who choose to allow the Holy Spirit to love through their mouth through the words they speak.  He can love through your hands in the deeds you do.  He can love through your mind in the thoughts you think toward others.  His love speaks.  The question is, “Will you let His love speak through you?”

Love speaks extravagantly over all things that God can use for His glory.

13 Day Love Challenge

Day 13

Make a list of all the people you can show love to and set a 

calendar reminder each month to show love.

Love Speaks - Endures Hardship Imposed by the Actions of Another.

The psychologist’s reports are in and according to them, the generation born between 1984 and 2002 are in danger of being one of the worst generations ever.  According to their research, they will be lazy, uninvolved and self-absorbed. The study goes on to say their ability to see and feel what others do is lacking as well as their ability to stay committed and complete a goal. 

Reading their report about this generation is worst that being in Texas and listening to the weather man’s report of icy rains, which have many bridges and overpass’s iced over.  If you are from Texas, you know what that mean.  People will test the limits and drive fast over the ice which ultimately ends up in a spin out, and if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time you will become involved in a wreck due to their insolent behavior.

It seems to me as though the psychologist said the same thing about the generations up to 1984.  They have rearranged the words, but the essence is the same.  The generation is helpless and hopeless. The good news is this is not news at all, God said it first.  In the garden of Eden after Adam sinned God began His plan of redemption.  His plan of redemption involved every generation and is still available today.  It covered Moses’ generation, Noah’s generation, Ruth’s generation, David’s generation, Jesus’ generation and your generation. 

The all-mighty God could have erased mankind from the earth and began a fresh, but He decided to redeem them instead.  His son Jesus came as our redeemer and died as our remedy and rose victoriously as our restorer.  His love endured all things so that we can have the grace of God active in our lives again.

Love speaks grace while enduring hardship imposed by the actions of another.

That is what Jesus did when He encountered Martha as He entered the city after the death of Lazarus.  He spoke grace to the bystanders through His tears because of their unbelief.  Jesus spoke grace to the woman caught in adultery.  His love spoke grace to Zaccheaus when He called him down from the tree.  His enduring love spoke grace to His disciples each time their doubts, pettiness and fear overcame them.  Jesus’ enduring love speaks grace to us each time we think we do not deserve it.  His grace agrees we do not deserve it but He gives it to us based on His love for us.  That’s enduring grace.

His greatest expression of an enduring love has been placed in your hands.  You are his heart of love, His hands of love and His feet of love.  You embody His love to His people of the world.  His love speaks in how you treat your neighbor. His love speaks in your salute to your spouse. His love speaks in the way you discipline your children.  His love speaks in the manner in which you treat the waitress.  His love speaks in your smile, your wave, your hello to a stranger.  His enduring love speaks through you.

Endurance takes patience, tolerance and adversity.  Psychologist may have the right hypothesis, but Christians have the final proof. The generation is exactly what God had in mind. Although the adversary wants to control them, we are positioned to endure with patience until the end. 

We dare to hold out with unyielding commitment to this generation.  With God as our guide and love speaking through our actions we “Win.”

13 Day Love Challenge

Day 12

Write a love letter to someone who would never expect to receive 

it from you explaining all the things you thank God for in them.