09 October
2 Cor 2:14-16 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphant processions. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere like a sweet perfume. (15) 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. (16) To those who are perishing, we are the 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?
Psalm 111
v2 How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them.
v3 Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails
v4 He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
v5 He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant
v6 He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations
v7 All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy
2 Cor 2:15 Our lives are a Christ-Like fragrance rising up to God. I love that. God uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere like a sweet perfume. (2 Cor 2:14) Am I am sweet perfume? Is what radiates from my life pleasant? Would those who smell it describe it as a “life giving aroma?”
If the level of “sweetness” that radiates from me is in direct proportion to how much of my life is God Himself at work using my body vs self, what scent wins out? If for instance, the “scent” of self was the smell of dead fish (like a fish market) and the “scent” of Christ-likeness was the scent of frangipani flowers. When you mix those 2 together what do you get? The more the fish smell is mixed in, the more putrid it becomes.
Ps 111:7 reminds us that ALL God does is just and good! Ps 111:3 says, EVERYTHING HE does reveals his glory and majesty. So, what fragrance is coming out of my heart? Is it the works of God… which are ALL just and good… which ALWAYS reveal God’s glory and majesty, not my own! Or are the works I do and the things I say, the smell of rotting fish radiating from self? I certainly would rather be the smell of flowers than rotting fish. And, by the way, the two don’t mix together very well.