2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NIV
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
One of the hardest senses for me to understand is my sense of smell. My wife and I have recently been house hunting. Every house had a different smell. Some smelled clean--they had a hint of lemon and bleach. Some houses smelled like animals. Don't get me wrong. I love animals, but the smell of animals inside a house doesn't give me some internal drive to purchase it. Probably the most interesting smell I noticed while house hunting was the smell of my grandparents' house. I can't place what the smell is, but there were a couple houses we entered that drew up deep emotions and memories. For some reason God has created us in such a way that our mind attaches certain aromas to emotions that are very central to who we are.
I guess that connection between our sense of smell and the core of who we are is what makes these verses from Paul's letter so powerful. Can you imagine the emotions of the Father when his Son was executed on our behalf? Can you imagine how deeply he must have felt grief that his only Son was dying a painful death, crushed under the punishment for every sin of every person who would ever believe in him? Can you imagine how great the joy as he knew that Jesus' death would usher every believer into the intimacy of his own family? It's with these deep emotions that we see Paul describe how we smell to God. He describes us as the aroma of Christ to our Heavenly Father. Paul goes on to tell us that our odor is not only powerful to God but to the people around us. As we love the people around us and share the words that describe Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, we are the fragrance of life to those who are saved by God's grace. God's message through our words is the aroma that transforms the very heart of the people around us, by the power of God's Spirit, to give them new life through faith in Christ.
Who is going to be smelling you today? How are you going to show them God's love? How are you going to put words to God's love by telling them about God's gift to them in Jesus' sacrifice?
Thank you, Father, that through faith in your Son we are the aroma of Christ to you. Make us faithful to spread the fragrance of knowledge of Christ to others today.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
One of the hardest senses for me to understand is my sense of smell. My wife and I have recently been house hunting. Every house had a different smell. Some smelled clean--they had a hint of lemon and bleach. Some houses smelled like animals. Don't get me wrong. I love animals, but the smell of animals inside a house doesn't give me some internal drive to purchase it. Probably the most interesting smell I noticed while house hunting was the smell of my grandparents' house. I can't place what the smell is, but there were a couple houses we entered that drew up deep emotions and memories. For some reason God has created us in such a way that our mind attaches certain aromas to emotions that are very central to who we are.
I guess that connection between our sense of smell and the core of who we are is what makes these verses from Paul's letter so powerful. Can you imagine the emotions of the Father when his Son was executed on our behalf? Can you imagine how deeply he must have felt grief that his only Son was dying a painful death, crushed under the punishment for every sin of every person who would ever believe in him? Can you imagine how great the joy as he knew that Jesus' death would usher every believer into the intimacy of his own family? It's with these deep emotions that we see Paul describe how we smell to God. He describes us as the aroma of Christ to our Heavenly Father. Paul goes on to tell us that our odor is not only powerful to God but to the people around us. As we love the people around us and share the words that describe Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, we are the fragrance of life to those who are saved by God's grace. God's message through our words is the aroma that transforms the very heart of the people around us, by the power of God's Spirit, to give them new life through faith in Christ.
Who is going to be smelling you today? How are you going to show them God's love? How are you going to put words to God's love by telling them about God's gift to them in Jesus' sacrifice?
Thank you, Father, that through faith in your Son we are the aroma of Christ to you. Make us faithful to spread the fragrance of knowledge of Christ to others today.
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