The extravagant grace and love of God

Someone posted a blog today on the extravagance of Lent. They started by talking about the alabaster bottle and the perfume the woman used to anoint Jesus at Simon’s house – the extravagance of that perfume that filled the whole house and the extravagance of her gift to him.

My mind didn’t go to Lent. For years I’ve asked why Jesus had to die and why THAT death. I’ve struggled with it. I’ve heard some really awful, traumatic sermons about it. And I’ve had no answers. But what if…

What if it really wasn’t necessary to go to that length? What if Jesus didn’t have to die, that crucifixion wasn’t essential to save the world, that none of it was required to accomplish everything? Mary broke an alabaster bottle and poured out her perfume. She washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and washed them with her hair. This was her extravagance. It wasn’t necessary, but it was right. And it was wonderful.

What if Calvary was an expression of God’s extravagance – of his extravagant love and grace for all of us?