Extravagant, Reckless, Lavish Love - God's Reign!
The band arrived at the concert hall in the late afternoon, a curious and delightful mix of musicians drawn from different corners of the musical world. They were not celebrities, nor household names, but each was respected in their own field. What brought them together was not fame or ambition but a shared desire to raise funds for a charitable cause close to each of their hearts. Their unity was not in style but in purpose, and that purpose gave the gathering a quiet sense of anticipation.
They set about preparing for the evening’s performance. The drummer assembled the kit, filling the hall with sharp bursts of sound as he tested snare, toms, and cymbals. The percussionist followed suit, tapping, shaking, and striking an array of instruments that added colour and texture to the ensemble. The bass players tuned their strings—one a large double bass, the other a sleek electric bass guitar. The guitarist adjusted pedals and amplifiers, coaxing tones from the instrument as he prepared. The horn section warmed up with scales and arpeggios, the trumpet, trombone, and saxophones sending bright notes across the hall. The pianist experimented with settings on the keyboard, while the vocalists stretched their voices, humming and singing fragments of melody.
The hall slowly filled with people. Some arrived early, eager for the music; others came reluctantly, dragged along by spouses, parents, or friends. A few teenagers slouched in their seats, earphones still in, waiting for the ordeal to pass. But the musicians paid no attention to any of this. They were focused on the gift they had come to offer.
After the sound check, they waited for the moment to begin. When the time arrived, they walked onto the stage and played with everything they had. Their music floated across the hall—classical rock, jazz standards, pop tunes re‑imagined with complexity and flair. Some pieces were familiar, others surprising. For two hours they poured out their hearts, offering their music freely and generously. They played not for applause but for the joy of giving, for the cause they supported, and for the hope that their music might touch someone deeply.
When they finished, the audience applauded loudly. Most had enjoyed the show. But if the band could have listened into the minds of the audience, they would have heard a wide range of responses.
Some had been dragged along and would rather have been anywhere else; a few even listened to their own music through earphones. Others enjoyed parts of the concert—recognising classical themes from advertisements or familiar pop tunes—but did not appreciate the jazz improvisations or extended solos. Some were enthusiastic at first, talking excitedly afterwards, only to let the experience fade as other concerns crowded in. Others were inspired and took up their instruments again for a few weeks before life overtook them and the instruments returned to their cases.
And then there were the few who were touched deeply. Something in the music awakened hope, joy, or wonder. They bought the recordings, sang the tunes, played the melodies, and let the music flow through their lives. They were changed.
Jesus might have said, “That’s what the Reign of God is like.” Some listeners would have scratched their heads, confused. Some would have nodded knowingly but forgotten moments later. Others would have recognised something true and walked away changed.
Jesus did not speak about band. He used other stories – parables that pointed to the mystery of God’s Reign. In Matthew 13 he tells of a farmer who sows seed with extravagant generosity, flinging it everywhere. Some falls on the hard path and is eaten by birds. Some lands on rocky ground, sprouts quickly, but withers in the heat. Some falls among thorns and is choked. But some falls into good soil and produces an abundant harvest. It is a story of reckless generosity—wasteful, even. Yet this is what God’s Reign is like: lavish, abundant, overflowing.
The farmer in Jesus’ story is not careful or strategic. He does not calculate where the seed will grow best. He simply throws it everywhere, trusting that somewhere it will take root. This is not agricultural advice; it is a portrait of divine generosity. God scatters grace with abandon, offering love, hope, and possibility to all, regardless of how ready or receptive they may be.
How do we explain such a Reign? We don’t. We can’t. We sit with it, let it settle, and allow it to take shape in our lives. Jesus’ stories carry mystery and uncertainty. They point to something that cannot be neatly defined but must be lived and experienced. The Reign of God is all around us, touching us in unexpected ways. It is there for those who look and see, listen and hear, and open themselves to grace.
This Reign is experienced wherever people embrace one another, where differences and prejudices are set aside, and a community of gracious inclusion grows. In this Reign there are no categories of rich or poor, young or old, acceptable or unacceptable. All belong. It invites us into deeper wholeness and reminds us that we are loved by the Love at the heart of the universe.
We glimpse this Reign in the beauty of life: in a song that moves us, a film that brings tears, a breathtaking landscape, or the wonder of creatures great and small. We see it in relationships where we love and are loved, where we feel we belong. It appears in simple acts of kindness, compassion, justice, and peace. It is present when someone stands against the crowd for the sake of the vulnerable. It shines in the smile of one person recognising Christ in another. In this Reign everything belongs, woven into the web of being that is Divine Love – our beginning and our end.
We live in a world of generous abundance: air to breathe, rain that falls, sunlight that warms and sustains life. Beauty, colour, diversity—all freely given. Yet not everyone sees. Some cling, control, and dominate. Others are touched briefly but distracted by other desires. Some feel deep gratitude and seek to share generously, bearing fruit through justice, inclusion, and love.
Like the band that gave its music freely, some hear and are inspired. They pick up their instruments and join in the song. They become part of the great symphony of God’s Reign, adding their own notes of compassion, courage, and hope.
The Reign of God is everywhere—lavish, reckless, joyful, and available to all. It is the way of life, hope, justice, peace, and reconciliation. It is for everyone. It is the music of divine love, playing softly beneath the noise of the world, waiting for those who will listen.
Will you let the song fill you and inspire you? Will you sing this love song that can change the world? Will you be grateful for the generous and abundant grace freely given?