Lavish

 
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
1 John 3:1

Lavish

lav·ish
/ˈlaviSH/
Adjective
Sumptuously rich and elaborate.
Verb
Bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities upon.
Synonyms
adjective.   profuse - generous - prodigal - bounteous - extravagant
verb.   squander - waste - dissipate

I wonder what you thought when you saw Lavish? Maybe a castle? Maybe a king and his robes with jewels and gold? Or a dinner table with everything you could possibly dream up, cooked to perfection and served on silver platters, or how about a ball where everyone is dressed in all their fineries. Whatever you think of when the word 'lavish' comes up it is not small, or insignificant, inexpensive. In fact when I think of lavish, I think of the most expensive piece of clothing with Jewels, with beautifully dyed and carefully sewn patterns. A dress that not only looks expensive, but that feels it. As you put it on, you know you are wearing a piece of clothing that took many hours of detailed planning, working and sewing hours to make. Something of high worth, just for one night of wearing. Seems crazy!
Lavish is not a word that we use often in this society where we hold our material possessions close to our hearts, especially in this western world. Our material goods are what give us status, lavish cars, lavish houses, lavish engagement rings, lavish parties, lavish holidays. We look to other peoples lives and think, my life isn't any where near as lavish. I mean take made in Chelsea for example or cribs. Now I like watching cribs and dreaming up my amazing, huge home with built in everything you could ever want, with more rooms than I could or would need. I enjoy looking at others lives and seeing what lavish lives they have.
But what if there was more, more than all this. What, in fact, do we say if we've actually got the meaning of Lavish wrong. What if all these seemingly lavish lives and dreams, were actually not that lavish. Take the great gatsby for example, by golly did Fitzgerald write a lavish life style for his character, but was he satisfied? Not by any means. And neither was Fitzgerald who lived a very similar life, or how about Jim Carrey, who said “I hope everybody could get rich and famous and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that its not the answer.”
I always think of the lavish lifestyle as the answer. The thing that's going to make me happy. How about Pinterest. I love Pinterest. Boys you may find this harder to relate to, so imagine walking into your favourite golf store or music shop with guitars lined along the walls. As you go into those shops, or on Pinterest. I look at the pins or the guitars or the golf sets and I think, what if I had this or I could do that, what if I had this new dress or my house looked like that, what if I could drive that car or afford that. I go into Pinterest and come off,  majority of the time dissatisfied with what I have. Now again, I enjoy those things, they are fun. Golf is fun and having a good set is seemingly essential and a well built and well stringed guitar is sublime, something that brings such joy to me. These are seemingly lavish things.
But there is a problem, you see I don't have that car, there is no way I am ever going to be able to afford that home, that dress is not more important than my rent, that golf set or guitar is not going to pay my food bill. I know what ill do, ill work harder, I'll get a better job, ill work more jobs. I will work my very hardest to get this lavish, that is so desperately want, no not want, I need. I need it.

Stop.
No seriously, stop. Umm... Do you have any idea how completely unobtainable that all seems and do you remember what Jim Carrey said.  “I hope everybody could get rich and famous and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that its not the answer.”
So here is a guy who has been rich as famous, got the cars, the house, has bought his girls those dresses, his wife that ring and he is saying, it's not the answer.
Well obviously that is just him, I mean that is just his experience. But then do you remember Fitzgerald and Gatsby? And there are plenty of other quotes from those that seemingly have the lavish life and say, it's not the answer.

Ok, so what is? I hear you ask. Because I'm sure as hell not satisfied with what I've got. Well, let me ask you this. Do you actually know what you have? And I'm not talking about worldly possessions, I could take them all away, you could be left with nothing and I can show you something that will fill that hole. I don't just think this either, I would bet my life on it. You see, lavish isn't a word about material goods because lavish is something long lasting, something substantial that can't fade away. To have something lavish, is to have something beyond worth. Having something lavish is almost like when a child catches a ladybird in the garden and runs in to show mum and dad, they carefully hold their hands slightly open and show their mum and dad. The kid the. Closes it's hands and holds that ladybird close to its heart. They laboured over finding that lady bird and now it's their friend, they make a home for it, feed it, loom after it and when friends come round, they share that ladybird, each having goes at holding it and admiring how incredibly beautiful it is, counting the spots on it's back. Now even that isn't quite lavish... Not quite but we getting nearer.
How about, Lavish is saying to you. I see all your hurt, I see all the parts of you that are really quite ugly, the parts that make me want to run away from you and never come near again, the parts that are rotten, the parts of your heart that are covered in hate and malice, that thing up revenge and are jealous. Where envy and where the words you wish you could put back into your mouth come from. I see all that. But I love you none the less. More than that, I will fervently pursue you through the ugly, the pain you cause me. The anger you throw at me. I will never run away or hide from you, when you are angry and bitter, when you blame me for something I would never do to you. And you know that time you hurt me so badly, all I wanted to do was disappear because the hurt was so bad, you know the one. Well, not only do I forgive you, cast it away never to think of it again but I will walk towards you and I will hold you until you can feel and know my love in every fibre of your being. Not only will you feel my love, but you will know in that moment, I could have walked away but I didn't.
Would you say that was Lavish? How about stupid?

 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
1 John 3:1

Do you see a bit more what lavish might actually mean? What it might actually mean to have a lavish lifestyle? When we say lavish we so often point to them, that person, with that lifestyle, or that thing but very rarely do we point to God. Lavish. God is lavish? You serious?
Well I tell you something, I will never be able to love you the way I just explained, if you hurt me, I will probably hold it at least for a while. If you blame me for something I didn't do, I will most probably get angry or at least defensive/ think your just plain silly. My pride will come into play when you hurt me, when you are angry at me, share bitter words with me, I will walk away. I won't stand there. How can I? Would you?

But don't panic, you see this lavish we were talking about, that forgiving, seemingly stupid love, that isn't something I've made up. It's real.

"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'
While we were still angry and bitter, envious and ugly inside. God loved us. God loved you. In fact God loves you. And it's not because of anything you did, it's because it's His character. While you were angry and bitter, while you hurt him so bad. He walked forward, towards you through Jesus. And He took that hurt that you causes him, that anger against him, and he nailed it to that cross. With that blood, he wiped your slate clean. And with arms open wide He embraced you, until the darkness had faded and it was finished. You knew you were loved.

Man knows nothing more lavish than this. There is nothing in history more lavish than this. Lavish has no deeper, more significant meaning than God, who was so deeply hurt by us, walking towards us, forgiving that deep hurt and holding us close.

You are lavishly loved, you were lavishly loved at the creation of the world, you were lavishly loved the day your heart was given a second chance and you are lavishly loved now. Right now, as you sit reading this. And this message isn't for someone else, it isn't for that person to your right, or your friend. I mean it can be, later on today or tomorrow. But right now, right this moment. This message is for you. You are lavishly loved. Lavish is Gods word for you. What you gunna do about it?

My 3am fun!

This blog comes incredibly early in the morning but I just have to tell you about what happened last night! So some of you may know how much I have been struggling with hearing God and feeling really distant from him. Having moved to Cardiff, a new city, new life style, new friends and new otherness I have been really struggling with home sickness and a knowledge that God has good plans but feeling how could this year be good when I'm struggling this much. This may seem bleak but I promise it's about to get much better!

At 3 this morning I was woken and tried to get back to sleep bit just couldn't. There was something keeping me awake. So I called to God about why I was awake, I was frustrated because I've been exhausted all day and I need my sleep haha, I'm so silly. I ended up getting so frustrated that I just wanted to scream at Him. Why am I awake? Do you have ANY idea how late it is? This is ridiculous! I was so incredibly frustrated and then I remembered a really wonderful friend Emily. She has just moved back to America and is 8 hours behind. I needed to chat so I messaged her to see if she was around... Praise God she was!! We haven't caught up since our amazing week at New Wine and it was such a joy to speak to her and hear how God is moving in her life! How God has different treats for us at different times, in different places. He loves to bless His children! So we spoke and then she asked what was going on with me and I spoke to her of my struggles and how I was finding things hard.
This is where it gets really cool (other than catching up with a friend). Emily was able to pick out lies about God I was believing and tell me truths I so needed to hear.
 Most of you who know me, know I'm a complete child with God. I love him being my Dad and although I rebel against it, I try and be big. It's like a kid who puts on adult cloths and walks to work, everyone knows that they are a child, they know they are a child and the cloths they are wearing, just do not fit. I'm a toddler guys, just so up know. I'm Gods little love and I adore it being that way :) so if you see me putting on my adult cloths, remind me that underneath there is a little love, who's home is not with adults but playing at the Fathers feet.
I finished talking to Emily after she prayed for me and the thing I decided I wanted was God. More than anything else, I wanted him and I said that to Him. We had an exchange and the next thing I knew I had this completely over whelming sense of safety and warmth. One thing that Em pointed out, is that I had forgotten Gods goodness, as you know what?! I totally had. To me, God was a horrible dictator who had taken me from my friends and church to a city which I didn't know and was struggling... But I had forgotten Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." A friend reminded me of this verse today and I had been trying so hard to believe it, I had stopped living it. God has an amazing future for me, filled with hope! Not something half hearted or ok but full of hope!!! Doesn't that make you excited?! He has the same for you!
I got off Skype and broke the lie and declared the truth over myself! Warmth and joy spread my body and I saw myself in Father Gods arms but more than that, I felt it. And his voice was soft and tender as he said "let me take it." And He has me, completely, fully. I am His and He is mine!! He is mine! I am His with Such joy and happiness, I am His with life and hope, I am His with all I am and there is no where I would rather be.

Praise God for 3 in the morning and friends in different time zones! Praise God for discernment and truth. Praise God for his unfailing goodness! And Praise God that in His arms is home, my favourite place in the universe.

Praise God I my soul, for The Lord is good and his steadfast love endures forever!!

Night guys!!

Xxxx