Living Love Story #4: An Extravagant Giver

God is an extravagant Giver. He is one who likes partnerships and covenants, and His side of those relationships is always the heaviest and the strongest. He brings more to the table than anyone. God is a team player who doesn't have to be, but is, and He is a solid one at that.

And Abram was one of the first to find this out.

I'm looking at Genesis 12 through 17 today and seeing such a personal relationship between God and Abram. God chose Abram, to begin an everlasting covenant with him and his descendants. It was like He had so much to give and just wanted someone to give it to! 

In Genesis 12:2-3, God promises to make Abram into a great nation, to bless him and even bless all who bless him (extending His lovingkindness to anyone who is Abram's friend)! He says he will make Abram's name great, and that all peoples on earth will be blessed through him. In Genesis 13:14-17, God shows Abram the great land that He has set aside for Abram's offspring and reminds him that his descendants will be more numerous than can even be counted. Then in Genesis 15:1, God bestows this blessing on Abram: "Do not be afraid, Abram; I am your shield, your very great reward."

He partnered with Abram, asking him to circumcise all the males in his household and raise his children to follow the Lord, because He wanted a people after His own heart, a people He could be close to, a people who could show the world who He was. As we know, those people (just like us) were wanderers from the heart of God time and time again...as was Abram himself (think Hagar, Gen. 16). Yet God continued to come to Abram over and over to renew His covenant with him, as He does with us. Despite serious mistakes with serious consequences, God gave direction, territory, honor, protection, favor, and fruitfulness as undeserved, extravagant gifts. Even when Abram lied, even when Sarah failed to believe, even when we forget what we've been promised and act like orphans instead of deeply loved children in the family of God, even when...He comes and renews His covenant of peace with us, again.

As I was studying this today, this question came to mind: "What has God given to me that I fail to daily take hold of?" It may be a quicker list to ask: "What has God given to me that I DON'T fail to daily take hold of?" The mercies, the fellowship, the acceptance, the voice, the joy, the love. It's all new, every morning. 

How do you repay the most extravagant Giver? You take hold of the gifts and enjoy them with all your heart. You let them have the power in your life that the Giver wants them to have.  And you let those gifts turn into a blessing for all who know you!