His Love is so Extravagant!

We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.  I Thessalonians 2:4b

Picture taken right after leaving the doctor's office.  His great peace is with her!

​It had been a normal day until I received the ever dreaded call from Sophie's school.  I answer with a very long “Heeelllooo?”  “Hi Mrs. Avila, we have Sophie here in the office…”  The rest of the conversation I hear in slow motion and just register these words “hurt” “head" “come get her”, “take her in.”  I quickly snap out of it and say “Ok, be right there.”  On my drive to the school every thought imaginable runs through my head.  All I could do at that very moment is lift my eyes up to pray.  I had to take every thought captive and fill it only with hope in Him.  My soul needed to be anchored to Him so that I could get through that drive and first view of Sophie.  I prayed “Jesus, please hold Sophie in your arms.  Embrace her and let her know You are with her.  Heal her head whatever the damage may be.  Please restore her head back to the way it should be.  Please heal her completely.  In Jesus’ Name!”  

I run into the office, but I can’t get there fast enough!  I walk in and the floodgates just start pouring out of her eyes.  Sophie had clearly been crying already but when she saw me and ran into my arms, she let go of every part of her that had been brave and she just released her pain and suffering.  This was by far the warmest embrace we could ever exchange.  I asked to see where she had been hurt and details of what had happened.  A metal chair had fallen on her head and she had a bump larger than I can even describe coming out of her scalp and she was in pretty bad shape.  I had no experience with head injuries so I wasn’t sure what all of this meant. Sophie’s teacher and the school secretary were extremely concerned for her and it was evident I needed to take her in to see the doctor.  By God’s amazing grace (and of course perfect plan because He knew this would happen), there was a 3pm appointment.  It was 2.30pm now.  Who ever gets a same-day appointment within 30 minutes of calling?  This was only the beginning of God’s amazing and lavish grace upon our lives that day.  

Due to the last-minute nature of the appointment we weren't scheduled with Sophie’s primary pediatrician because his schedule was full.  We were scheduled with another doctor.  But God’s plan would have it that as we arrive at the doctor’s office we run into Sophie’s primary pediatrician.  He quickly asks what is going on (at this point Sophie is still crying from the pain and so I’m holding her in my arms); it was clear it wasn't just a minor check up.  Well I update him quickly and he says “ok, I will be right there to take a look at her as well.”  So he comes over and totally calms our nerves.  He checks her out and says he only has a minute because he has another patient coming in.  He jokes around all the while assuring us that she is going to be ok.  We thank him for taking the time out of his busy day to come see us.  Well later we find out that it was his first day back from vacation so it was double special that he stopped by on such a busy day.  Then the pediatrician we were scheduled to see walks in.  She proceeds to check Sophie out and discard any signs of a concussion.  I’ve honestly never experienced such a thorough check up like I did that day.  But the good news: it’s not a concussion so no ER visit necessary.  Wow!!! Such great joy.  Of course I was advised to keep an eye on her and was given a list of reactions to watch for but I knew in my heart that she was going to be ok!  

So back to school we go to pick up big sister since school is out by now.  Teachers come running out of their classrooms to see how Sophie is doing.  We are reminded minute by minute just how loved she is.  The amount of love and support Sophie received within 60 minutes was astounding.  I was overwhelmed by all of it.  And here’s the truth, we all expect the school to react in a positive way when our children get hurt, but this was out of the ordinary love.  I thought about it as I drove both girls home and this song came on the radio: Your Love is Extravagant (by Casting Crowns).  There it was!  It was a little piece of heaven on earth.  God’s love is so EXTRAVAGANT!  This is a day I will never ever forget for the rest of my life.  He opened the floodgates of heaven and showered Sophie with His most amazing, extravagant love because that’s who God is, He is LOVE!  

The part that impacted me the most which I hadn’t shared above is that when I carried Sophie from the office to take her to the car, her teacher had tears in his eyes.  The pain he felt because of what Sophie was going through was more than he could handle.  Is that not love?  Is that not extravagant love?  His tears brought me to tears which soon had all 3 of us crying.  It was just a beautiful taste of the kind of love Jesus has for us; intense, unimaginable love.

On this day, I experienced God’s love and care for our family in a way that will never leave me.  Our dear Sophie suffered and we all worried, but the unity it brought and the blessings we received from it are immeasurable. The prayers went up from my husband, parents, sisters, cousins, teachers AND His glory came down in all its power!  By the time I put Sophie to bed that night, she was painless.  By that following morning, her bump had shrunk by at least 75%!  

On this day, God showed up in a great way!  Sometimes He tests our faith and on this day He was glorified! 

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5:5

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." - I John 4:7-21

"Your Love Is Extravagant” by Casting Crowns

Your love is extravagant
Your friendship, it is intimate
I feel like moving to the rhythm of Your grace 
Your fragrance is intoxicating in our secret place
Your love is extravagant

Spread wide in the arms of Christ is the love that covers sin
No greater love have I ever known You considered me a friend
Capture my heart again

Spread wide in the arms of Christ is the love that covers sin
No greater love have I ever known; You considered me a friend

Capture my heart again
Your love is extravagant
Your friendship, it is intimate