How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!—1 John 3:1
I love words, and LAVISH is a word begging to be savored. It drips with extravagance. It means sumptuously rich and luxurious. Who wouldn’t want to be lavished in love, blessing, and goodness? And yet, according to 1 John 3:1, that’s exactly what God has done. He hasn’t just offered us love, He’s lavished it on us. Not cautiously or sparingly. Extravagantly.
When I became a mother for the first time, my heart filled to overflowing with absolute adoration and love for this tiny baby boy who slept all day and cried all night. I spent hours just staring at his perfect little face and marveling at everything he did. I didn’t know I was even capable of loving someone that much.
So, when I was expecting the second child, a little part of me worried I wouldn’t have the capacity to love this new baby as much as I did her older brother. But of course, as it happens, God expands a parent’s capacity to lavish immeasurable love on every subsequent child. No child gets even a smidge less love when a sibling comes along, and how mothers don’t just explode with all the love swelling their hearts for their children (and grandchildren, I’m sure) is a mystery.
Now, liking one’s child can vary greatly depending on their level of sass, cleanliness, and helpfulness. Kidding…mostly. But that deep, unwavering love? It endures every mood, every mess, every season. It holds families together through storms that would rip lesser bonds apart.
But as strong and abiding as that motherly love is, it doesn’t come close to the way God loves His children. Human parental love is merely a glimpse, a dim reflection, of what the Author of Love Himself lavishes on us. His love isn’t earned, isn’t limited, and isn’t withdrawn when we fail. It’s constant. Generous. Immeasurable.
God chooses us, forgives, redeems us, adopts us, and lavishes His grace on us, and guarantees us an inheritance (Ephesians 1). There can be no greater love.
Take a moment to sit with that truth today. God calls you His child. Not begrudgingly or out of obligation. But With joy, affection, and an overflowing, infinite abundance. He delights in you. And as God lavishes His love on us so generously, how should we let that love run over into how we treat others? Into how we see ourselves? Go and love lavishly as you are loved.