2nd Opinion: ‘Tis the season of God’s extravagance

Posted: 12/02/05

2nd Opinion:
'Tis the season of God's extravagance

By Lisa Price

The Christmas holidays tend to make us reflect on past years, and the most memorable celebrations seem to be indelibly printed on our minds like album snapshots with captions. If I had to choose a caption for the Christmas of 2004, I think it would be “extravagance.”

While the word “extravagance” often is associated with negatives such as materialism and waste, in this case it was not. The extravagance was not related to squandering resources or even to human generosity, but it was the extravagant love of God toward his children. Our family celebrated a Christmas where God's decorations and gifts far outshined anything we could do or even imagine.

My husband had been invited to perform a wedding, and we were privileged to start Christmas week on a beautiful Caribbean island, where we enjoyed aquamarine water, snow-white sand, gorgeous tropical plants and undersea creatures of all kinds. We basked in the warm sun and felt the cool brisas on our faces. The scenes were so breathtaking that we truly felt like we were in a dream. The sights were something you see on a postcard or in a book, but you cannot imagine how it can be real.

And then God's gifts continued in the miracle of a white Christmas on the Texas Gulf Coast. Unbelievable!

We had the same feeling of disbelief that we had felt earlier in the week in Cozumel. God continued to shower us with the beauty of his creation. Everyone reveled in the first flurries during the late afternoon, but God had more in store. When we emerged from the church after the Christmas Eve service, the snow had begun to fall in earnest, and our family hurried home to bundle up and run outside to play. We laughed as we fought over the few pairs of gloves and warm hats we could find buried under swimsuits and shorts. The outdoor fun lasted until well after midnight, and we all fell into bed expecting the miracle to be over by morning.

But at first light, we were amazed to see what God had done to our yard, our town and much of the Gulf Coast. Eight to 10 inches of exquisite, brilliant white coated the ground! When we weren't outside frolicking in the snow, we found ourselves drawn to the windows, gazing in awe-struck wonder. Whenever there was a lull in the conversation, someone would say, “Remember the time it snowed on Christmas?” Then we all would chuckle contentedly.

All over our community, warm beds were empty, paper-wrapped gifts remained unopened, dinners were uncooked or hurriedly eaten, and God's gift of extravagance was all that seemed important.

It reminded me of the ultimate extravagance when God sent his Son to be born. Shepherds left their sheep untended. Magi traveled hundreds of miles from their lives of comfort. And angels left heaven itself to announce the glorious good news. The gift was so extravagant, so wonderful, that life was changed forever. I wonder if the shepherds spent that first Christmas day looking at each other and saying, “Remember the time God came to earth as a beautiful baby?”

How can we ever reciprocate? Of course, we can't!

What God wants is the heart and life of each person. And that is the gift each of us can give him anew for Christmas 2005.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Lisa Price is minister of music at First Baptist Church in Sweeny.