As I entered the prayer garden this morning, I was greeted with the fragrant aroma of some incredibly beautiful flowers. Because I’m not a botanist I can’t tell you their name; I’m sure it’s something Latin, like lookatus smellofus.
Nonetheless, my ignorance of their kind didn’t prevent me from recognizing their splendor, and how each flower seemed to reach to heaven with petals open wide, soaking in the radiance of their Creator. That, in and of itself, spoke deeply to me. The flowers declare the glory of God Almighty; they are clothed in the majesty of His creative genius, and without fail display His unmatched greatness. How much more should my life make such a loud declaration of His worthiness?
This Scripture came to mind . . .“But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-17
Even though none of us is sufficient, competent, capable, worthy of declaring the wonder of such a Glorious King, we have been created, even commissioned by God, not to be just peddlers of the Word, but sincere in what we speak in Christ. And perhaps that is the essence of this passage . . . the aroma of our fragrance is proportional to the sincerity of our life.
I don’t know about you, but the question that resonates within my heart is, “God, is the fragrance of my life pleasing to you, and does it spread the knowledge of you everywhere? Does it saturate the very places I leave footprints?”
May our lives be fragrant with the aroma of Christ; pleasing to God, soothing to those being saved, and inviting to those who desperately need the life-giving fragrance of Jesus.
Awesome stuff!! Sounds as though you are enjoying you time!! The pics are incredible cant wait to read, hear and see more!! Miss you much….
Great thoughts. I read this same passage some time back and the Lord keeps bring it back across my path. Am working on a sermon right now. How about this, our fragrance s/b
Penetrating,(remember the stockyard in TX, you know where) Permanent (remember when fluffy got sprayed by the skunk in Booneville), and Pleasant/Pleasing (like your mom’s perfume).
Love ya,
Dad