No, wait.
Not the cable show version.
The Ephesians version found in Chapter 1.
He LAVISHES His grace on us.
Lavishes.
What a great word, eh?
It isn't a nice car, but a streeeeeeetch limo.
Not a party, but a gala event with full big band, balloons, ice sculptures, and chandeliers.
Lavish is all the top-shelf, first-class stuff.
Piled on, poured over, and spilling onto the floor.
Lavish.
Huh.
A big swig of Elixir helps me put it into perspective.
Growing up, me, Sister Here, and Sister There would wait like baby robins in the nest for Mom to get done icing a cake.
Why?
We were gonna lick the bowl!
Well, lick our spatulas, anyway.
Mom would drop the bowl on the table and walk away, kinda like the food guy at the zoo throwing meat to the lions. Best not to be within range of the frenzy.
Shoving, pushing, spatulas flying, elbows gouging - aw, it was great. Mainly because I was the oldest and biggest.
Huh.
I think I view God's grace like that. I have to qualify for His grace. I gotta work hard for each scrap of blessing I can get.
But that word "lavish".
There's nothing stingy about it.
"Lavish" is kinda like this.
Mom gets done icing the cake.
Then she goes to the counter and gets three bowls.
Each bowl is full to the brim with frosting!
And we each get a bowl!
And then she says,
"When that's done, I can get you some more. Just ask."
Oh, baby.
Forget the spatula, I'm face-planting.
Or say you go to an ice cream shop and order a Hot Fudge Sundae. The lady brings the bowl of ice cream to the table.
Then she takes a huge pitcher of Hot Fudge and begins to pour it over the ice cream.
She doesn't stop after a dollop or two. She just smiles at you.
"Say "when"."
The Hot Fudge keeps comin'.
She keeps smilin'.
And pourin'.
Lavish.
An abrupt realization jerks me outta my chocoholic dreams. I think I might have screwed this up.
Not might have.
Most definitely.
I don't expect Him to lavish on me.
Billy Graham, yeah.
Mother Theresa, sure.
But...me?
Scraps? That I can see.
A small dollop or two? Okay.
But lavish?
Like up-to-and-past "say when"? I haven't been believing it. At all.
Another pull of the Elixir brings a humbling realization.
I can feel the hurt I've caused by thinking Him stingy.
By not believing what He said He would do.
Oh, man.
I've been a prideful jerk.
I think I owe Someone a really big apology.