It amazes me how a simple smell can conjure up mental images rich with memory! Elephant ears, french fries with vinegar, candy apples and cotton candy color in a cool autumn evening at the State Fair. All at once I’m picturing my firstborn on the swing ride with his daddy before there were three! Freshly mowed grass and apples bring up kindergarten trips to the orchards for hay rides and corn mazes. Hot buttered popcorn at movies on a girls night or sunscreen and pineapple coconut ices on sandy beaches- smells are so powerful in their ability to illicit memories- awaking the other senses with the slightest waft.
Along with the pollen, Spring brings a clean fragrance as if all the earth is freshly bathed and dressing for church on a Sunday morning. To some like my husband, the pollen is overwhelming, causing his eyes to water mercilessly and sneezes to come in bunches. For him, it’s more difficult to discern the freshness for the wheezing but to me, there’s no better scent! It’s life-giving breath feels like glorious light to my soul! God’s word likens our lives and our prayers in Christ to a fragrance, perceived differently based upon one’s relationship to Christ.
“Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?”
2 Corinthians 2:15-16 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/2co.2.15-16.nlt
First and foremost, this fragrance rises up to God. When God spoke to Moses from Mt Sinai, He instructed the Israelites to worship Him with regular burnt offerings as a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
““Give these instructions to the people of Israel: The offerings you present as special gifts are a pleasing aroma to me; they are my food. See to it that they are brought at the appointed times and offered according to my instructions.
This is the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”
Numbers 28:2, 6 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/num.28.2,6.nlt
The rhythm of their daily routine and their annual festivals revolved around the bringing of these offerings to God. The aroma of a perfect lamb without spot or blemish foreshadowing God’s ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross pleased God. However this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and those who are perishing. Our lives are that fragrance, but it is our Christ-likeness that will illicit a response.
“But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/2co.2.14.nlt
The Psalmist, David, paints a glorious picture of God entering His Sanctuary to dwell exalted among His chosen people. He makes His entry as a conquering King.
“Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary. When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there. Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.”
Psalms 68:17-20 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/psa.68.17-20.nlt
We are His captives, those rescued from death, carried in His arms in His triumphal procession. “Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.”
And not only our lives, but our prayers ascend to Him as a pleasing aroma. A special recipe for incense was given to Moses to be used only in the Tabernacle worship.
““Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.”
Exodus 30:7-8 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/exo.30.7-8.niv
The Revelation of Jesus Christ given to John reveals more about the purpose of this sacred incense. “And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.”
Revelation 5:8 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/rev.5.8.niv
God uses our prayers and our lives to “spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere like a sweet smelling, life-giving perfume.” “And who is adequate for such a task as this?” What is to keep us from being the “dreadful smell of death and doom” to those who are perishing? Only the forbearance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/2pe.3.9.niv
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”
2 Peter 3:8 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/2pe.3.8.niv
So in every second of the time we have left, “Above all, (let us) love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
1 Peter 4:8, 10 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/1pe.4.8,10.niv
As those who are being saved, may the life-giving fragrance of Christ define us!
A Fitting Reply 