Lavish – to to expend or give in great amounts or without limit.
Ephesians 1:3-10 “[God] has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation fo the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
These verses are packed full of God. If we slow down and read this for the purpose of learning more about God, we see in every one of these sentences and phrases that God is the initiator in all things related to salvation and spiritual blessings, all of which is for His purposes. It is not because of any action from any man or woman. It’s not even because any man or woman asked for or accepted His salvation or spiritual blessing, for we read in Romans that man’s mind is hostile to God and cannot choose or submit to Him (Romans 8:7)…apart from His divine purpose, calling, and power. Read back through those verses again below, taking note of all of the reference to God or Jesus.
Twenty times in these 8 verses, God is seen as either the initiator of salvation, the means of salvation, or the purpose of salvation. It all points to God.
Am I using the grace His has extended to me to fulfill His purposes? Or am I using them to fulfill my own? Do I praise Him for His rich blessings? Or do I complain that I am lacking? Do I glorify Him in my thoughts, words, and actions because of the way He has so truly blessed me “in all wisdom and insight making known to [me] the mystery of His will”? Or do I pridefully think that I’ve done anything worthy of Him?
How about you?
I am thankful for God who chose me before the foundation fo the world and who lavishes upon me the riches of His grace.

