Do you have an extravagant gift giver in your family? In my family, my younger brother, Steve, has always been the extravagant gift giver. One year, it took a huge duffle bag to fly my daughter’s gift home he had chosen for her. She was about 4 years old and he bought her a stuffed dog that was twice her size. She used to sleep on it. My son loves the UNC Tarheels, so Steve ordered a football jersey for him that had been worn in a winning game and had them take the players name off and put Norris on the jersey. It still had grass stains on it. He loved to go all out. He didn’t hold anything back.
God is the most extravagant gift giver ever. He held nothing from us, including His Son [John 3:16]. He didn’t just say He loved us, but He demonstrated it completely.
Do you love the Lord? 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us He is constantly searching to find those who are fully committed to Him. Do you give to Him extravagantly, holding nothing back? He is eager to find one who will so He can honor him or her.
In Matthew 26, we read of a woman who held nothing back from the Lord. She risked her life by entering into a home uninvited and presented herself at the feet of Jesus. She poured an alabastar jar of very expensive perfume on His head and wept over Him. He was so moved by her sacrifice, her willingness to take a risk for Him, that He declared wherever the Gospel was preached what she had done would be shared in memory of the great act of love she did for Him [Matthew 26:13].
Have you done a great act of love for Jesus lately? What’s holding you back? When asked the greatest commandment, He replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” [Mark 12:30, Matthew 22:37, and Luke 10:27]
The word all is in the verse four times. When God repeats something in His Word, it is because He wants us to pay close attention to it. He wants our ALL, period. It doesn’t matter if you are referring to your money, your time, your talents, your gifts, your focus, your love, your dedication……He calls us to give Him our all. If anyone has a right to ask that of us, it’s Jesus. He gave His all for you [2 Corinthians 5:21].
Make a sacrifice for Him. Be willing to take a risk. Demonstrate your love to Him. You’ll be the one blessed if you do.