The Extravagance of Partnering with God
Needless to say our planet is ailing and broken and in dire need of help. Surely humanity has lost its way. Despite all the progress, of the advanced digital era we have come to know with its endless stream of real time information, never have we been more discontent, disconnected, disheartened and disengaged. Controlled and conditioned by the endless cycles of life's routines, we seem to be chasing our tails on all fronts. Constantly warring with the way of the world, even our contingency plans, the places and faces we have come to rely on and hope to count on in moments of crises, is nothing but a figment of our imaginations. Nothing is certain, nothing is sure, and the future is certainly not what we anticipated.

This is not what God desires for us. "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future!" Jeremiah 29:11. Scripture says God knew us long before the foundations of the earth, while we were being knit together in our mothers wombs, He thought about us and had a specific God ordained plan for us. Incredibly hopeful, incredibly encouraging that God personalizes our purpose, that He is interested in every stage and every detail of our lives. That His plans are to prosper us with a future and hope that this secular world could never offer or fulfill
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I think of the miracle catch of fish, where Jesus turned a bad fishing experience into a life altering moment for Peter and his brothers. Fishing was Peter's livelihood, it was his income, his bread and butter. Yet when Jesus provoked his faith into action little did Peter realize that Jesus was 'fishing' for his soul. Jesus was able to provide fish after several failed attempts. Jesus provided every species of fish those waters held. He performed the miracle outside all of the usual fishing conditions. "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men!" Jesus implored Peter. Surely if Jesus could provide fish in such abundance that their boats sank from the weight of the catch, He was well able to provide for all of their needs while they harvested souls for His Kingdom? Jesus was saying to Peter, try me and test me and see what great and mighty things I will do not just for you but through you.

When Mary told the servants at the wedding to 'do whatever He tells you to do', she stirred and ignited not just her faith but everyone who partook in that miracle. Faith always responds to an action. For the transaction of faith to successfully conclude, an action has to accompany an instruction. Bible says, faith without works is dead. Jesus always gives us an opportunity to turn on the tap of our miracle, He activates the miracle when we step out in faith. The key is to do what He commands, however challenging and illogical. Gods Kingdom does not operate on our fundamentals of logic and reason and we should never benchmark or limit His Hand from our lack of revelation.

After having preached to the multitude and healing those in need, night began to fall and the Disciples were in a quandary as to how the crowd could be fed. Surely it was not possible to feed them with the meager lunch offered by the boy with the fish and bread. Jesus baited their faith but it was far too complex for them to solve, but when they presented Him with the fish and bread, Jesus multiplied it. Anything we offer Jesus even with faith the size of a mustard seed, He is able to work with. The miracle eventuated, it had to, everyone was fed and there were twelve baskets of food to spare!

In comes the woman with the expensive perfume, defamed and of ill-repute she lays aside all of her vulnerabilities and determines to meet with Jesus. Out of her unworthiness and self-condemnation she musters her frenzied, fanatical faith and propels herself to the feet of Jesus. Lavishing Him and anointing His feet with her costly fragrance she received the highest praise, the highest accolade but more poignantly the liberation of her soul - It was not just her alabaster box being emptied, but she traded her past for her future when she laid it all at His feet.

The extravagance of partnering with God is that He is always going to exceed our expectations, our hopes, our logic and the silos of our limited thinking. He holds all the keys, the answers, the open doors, the opportunities, the capacities, the capabilities, the abilities, and so much more. We need only act on it.