A PLEASING AROMA - By Calvin Wulf
Spiritual Life
The aroma of sacred smells is pleasing to God and to his people. When Noah offered a burnt sacrifice to God after the flood, "The Lord smelled its pleasing aroma (Genesis 8:21)." Sweet smells have a blessed effect on God and humans alike. So how can we appeal to the sense of smell in our encounters with God?
A biblical form of holy smells is incense. In worship, we find the Elders falling before Christ holding golden bowls of incense. (Revelation 5:8) In prayer we say, "May my prayer go up to you like incense (Psalm 141:2)." God clearly invites us to approach him with fragrant offerings. Personally, I use incense and floral scented candles in my prayer room.
Any kind of incense or scented candle will do. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving over the incense or candle before burning it. The aroma will be pleasing to God and a reminder that Christ is present with you.
Tags: Spiritual Life, Christian Spirituality, Spiritual Living
Categories: Spiritual Life, ALL CALVIN'S ENTRIES
Tags: Spiritual LIfe Christian Spirituality Spiritual Living
...old things are passing away...a shadow of things to come...walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
One can see it in the denominations, the non-denominational and the contemporary fellowships. We still don't know what God wants. So what do we do?
We try anything and everything-blow a shofar, wear a prayer shawl, burn incense, bow at a railing at the front of the building... The list goes on and on with new things added or old thing re-visited. We should remember that the scriptures are given to lead us to God, but only through Christ. They testify of Him. Christ did away with those old things.
We should also be careful about adding rituals and traditions as if they are law. Even if we don't intend it that way often these rituals or traditions are made to seem necessary to our salvation and people get lost in THEM and 'doing them right', rather than in connecting SPIRITUALLY to God.
What does God want? What will make our prayers reach Him?
Christ told the woman at the well, 'But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father IN SPIRIT and truth; for the
Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'
It doesn't involve anything on this earth. There is only one Way to God. 'Christ in you, the (only) hope of Glory'!
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Hi Lisa,
You make some useful observations here. Perhaps there is one thing we all lack, that is to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect and be a blessing to everyone we see. Finally, prefer nothing to Christ!
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Its always amazing to me how God uses elements in nature to hint at His presence. To smell in the aroma is in a way symbolic of taking Him into our bodies/souls. Its like aroma therapy, only the peace is God's.
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Hi Jeff, thanks for your comment. I like your thought in terms aroma therapy. The aroma of Christ is healing and refreshing to the soul. God has made his presence known to his people with a pleasant fragrance down through the ages. God's peace to you.
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