I have been going to a Bible study on Tuesday nights. It has been really good. One of the last lessons we had was on God's lavish love. How we don't have to do anything to earn His love, He just gives it to us because it pleases Him. And there are many ways He loves us. I have been a recipient of His lavish love lately and am completely overwhelmed!!
You see, things have been awfully tight around here if you know what I mean. I had applied for a 2nd job because we needed the money. The car needed tire, brakes, etc and Christmas was coming. I got my Christmas savings acct money from the bank but HAD to use it to fix the car so I told the kids we weren't having much for presents at Christmas. But we all know that presents aren't what Christmas is all about anyway. So the kids were all ok with that. But then...
It started around Thanksgiving. We started getting things in the mail with no return address. Once we got money just as the boys needed it for their One Act trip, meals and shirts when I didn't have the money at the time for it. There was no signature with it. We received money a couple times. We received Pizza Hut gift cards and Wal-Mart gift cards. Some of it I used to buy some things we needed and then I started buying just a few things for Christmas.
Then I got a call from Wal-Mart Friday evening saying that someone had bought a gift card for me and they had it at the service desk. I started crying when they said how much it was for! The kids actually have things under the tree that are things they had on their Christmas lists. I was able to buy some stuff to make goodies!
And then when I went to clock out at work today, someone had left 2 bags of gifts for my family and me from Santa. And this person must be a christian! There were several christian books in the bags. I was overwhelmed!
We were all set to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, the story of Jesus' birth and what it means to the world. How much God loves us and what He does for us and look what happens! Some one else shows us God's love. I think when we are truly content with what God does or doesn't give us, He rewards us. Maybe with things, maybe with friends, I don't know but I do know this...God loves us with a lavish love, as has been shown to us this Christmas season by all the anonymous things we have received. And even though I don't know any names of the people down here who did all this, I do believe they all acted on God's prompting.
And so, during this most precious season, my prayer is that you all would know and experience God's lavish love. that is truly the most wonderful gift any of us could receive.
