I like efficiency - I really like efficiency. I pride myself on my efficency - if you give me enough time I can tell you the fastest way to get your plans for the day accomplished. It has become my god in many ways. Things should be functional, economical and efficient. And I have always felt God backed me up on this - he is a God of efficiency and order - nothing wasted with him right?

The first chink in my practical armour came from this post by Femina...and again as I was listening to the Bible on CD, God was telling Moses exactly how to make the clothes for the priests and twice he says to make them for glory and for beauty. I was able to accept this - the priests were representatives of Jesus, so it made sense for them to be clad nicely. But I would be much more comfortable if they had work clothes, and the glorious get-up was just for speeches and ceremonies, clean ceremonies. But that doesn't seem to be the case - and I cringed to think about the clothes after even one day in the temple - ashes, animal hair or worse, and blood. I found myself doubting the logic of God in this - doubting his efficiency. When I find myself in a position when I think I could give God advise, I know its time to step back and take a hard look into my own thinking. And this is what I realized - God is extravagant. And I wonder now as I read the Bible how I could have ever missed it ...words like abundant and overflowing and abounding - but I guess it is the tendency of us all to give God our own characteristics.

He is NOT efficient - He cares nothing for efficiency. There is nothing stark about God - He is....the color purple and the scent of the lilacs and streets of gold and very expensive perfume used for feet - every time I read that story I echo the disciples in my mind - what a waste, what a poor use of money...to even spend that much in the first place on perfume .... and my self-righteous voice rolls on and on. And the biggest extravagance of all - a Son, glorious and beautiful, but not created, existing from eternity at the Father's side - sent to earth, covered with the filthy, oiliness of sin and trampled under the feet of filthy sinners.

And I am humbled by God's Extravagant Love. And I am inspired to live an extravegant life - pouring out my own time and love and affection without thoughts of efficency. willing to backtrack if necessary. Willing to lavish my best efforts even if only for an audience of One.