Can We Too Smell of the Aroma of Christ?
Good Morning Friends,
If you do not want to see something you can close your eyes. If you do not want to hear something you can muffle the sound, but when it comes to smells, there is no way to escape. We are not in control. Eventually we have to breathe. We can smell a single molecule of what God has created. His presence is released into our lives like the smell of air compressed just before the rain. Some smells are great and we love them to permeate the air. Flowers…popcorn…fresh baked cookies…newly mowed grass are pleasing to me. But not all smells are pleasant. There are times when we step in dog pooh. There are times when life gets messy and so too the smells. We need to be cleaned of our stench and put on the perfume of Christ. In the today’s scripture and message we see how smells and actions are associated in the life of Christ and my hope is that they will remind us of what we are to be. Today we sense the fragrance of both the suffering servant washing the feet of the disciples and the anointed oil of the conquering king…Here we ask in hope of an answer in the affirmative. Can We Too Smell of the Aroma of Christ?
Scripture: For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
2 Corinthians 2:15 (NRSV)
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
John 13:1-17 (NRSV)
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Romans 7:21-24 (NRSV)
Message: Many Christians believe mistakenly that once they become members of the team that life will be easy sailing and free of problems. Friends that is just not the case. The world is filled with minefields of things positioned in our path. We still cling to old habits and desires. Even mature Christians sin and may well carry the stench of the sense of guilt even though forgiven. When we step in the wrong stuff our feet need to be cleaned. Sin stinks. Thankfully God gave us a sense of smell to help us remember the difference from those things that are dead and those that are alive…from those things sinful and those things holy. Friends, smells are always associated with other things and people so it is not surprising that God has ordained that worship be filled with pleasing odors and fragrances. In the Bible these smells are associated with the spice filled oil that anoints the king, the perfume used to cover up the smell of death, the incense used in sacred worship, the soothing aroma of a holy sacrifice and the holy food used in feasts and festivals. In the upper room just before the Passover feast these smells permeated the air. Here we learn that we need to be served by Him so that our smelly feet are cleaned. Here we learn that Christ has set an example for us to wash others feet…to carry His aroma, the fragrance of life, into the world through our thoughts, words and deeds.
Pray we realize that Christ must wash us clean. Pray that we spread the aroma of Christ everywhere we go. Pray that we be a sweet smell that leads others to a better life. Pray that we are confident about Christ’s identity in us. Pray that our unique aroma be pleasing to God. Pray we sniff out an opportunity to eliminate the smell of fear with love. Pray we have the smell of success in Christ because we have been forgiven.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 