Extravagant Living

On New Years day I sat on the bank of the lake at McClarens Falls watching the kids kayak, watching my husband once again interact effortlessly and enjoyably with the boys, watching my wee girl chatter and peel mandarins. My heart was full but a question sat on me: Lord, give me one word for 2014. It didnt take long to come to me. A couple of days before 2013 was out, Sam had made a decision. One of sacrifice, discipline. I had wanted to kind of reason him out of it, or at least suggest to him things like moderation, balance. Not because I didnt agree with his decision, but because I recognised the cost of it. Because I wondered to myself "could I do it?". I dont want to tell you the decision, because the point of this blogpost is this: decisions made in the heart. Our decisions are always first made in the heart. Its there that a seed takes hold, and bears fruit in a later time. Its there that treasure is stored. I love the verse in Luke 2:19 Luke 2:19 "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.". What are the things you ponder about? What your mind often turns to, can reveal a lot about where your treasure lies. Sitting on the shores of the lake one word stamped into my mind: Extravagant. extravagant ɪkˈstravəg(ə)nt,ɛk-/ 1. lacking restraint in (spending money) or using resources. Imagine that... Extravagant living for our Lord Jesus Christ in 2014!! What would that look like to you? How would that affect your spending? How would that influence your thoughts? How would that look in your prayer life? How would that define the use of your time? I know what extravagant living for self looks like. I also know the emptiness it yields. But if thats the extent of self living, I wonder just how awesome and fulfilling extravagant living is, for our King. And have we really even close to begun to understand its impact in our generation. No cost too great. No expense too high. No act of service above you. No resource unavailable for the purpose of His Kingdom. No inch of your reputation too important for His cause... Matthew 13 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.