Fragrance Makers
Palm Sunday… the Triumphal Entry… waving
branches… yet here we are stuck at home. But is that such a bad thing? I know there is shouting on your phone screen, complaining all around, fear, dread, angst, and a disruption of most things normal. But then there is this; there are folks who have been trapped at home… injuries, sickness, even encroaching
death… they have been living in this condition and will remain there even when this virus passes by. The great thing about this season is that many of us are getting to stop and reflect on what we have taken so for granted. The simple things, like going out for dinner… taking in a movie… going for a drive… even our general good health… things all threatened now.
Thursday’s Life Journal passage wound its way through 2 Corinthians 2:14 “But thanks be to God, who in Christ
always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” The word fragrance stuck with me… in this time of trial… what is my life emitting by way of smell? No, we are not talking about physical cologne or perfume here; we are talking about the fragrance of the energy flowing from our lives. They tell us dogs can sense or
smell our fear… have you been charged by a big dog, or even a little dog for that matter? The goose pimples rise on your skin… a shudder runs down your spine… been there, done that. The dog looks at you like, “yep, I just did itagain!”
Well, people can sense our fear, our negativity, our faithlessness as well. Often the world charges our Christian faith in an attempt to sideline our focus. These days it’s a virus. Many are huddled up and gripped by anxiety, the media, like a big dog, bark and growl its angry threats to our existence. But I ask myself, who is in charge,
the virus… or God? For the Christian, we need to check our faith in these times. There are many looming threats today, economical threats, health threats, even threats against our freedoms. But in actuality they are always there, prevalent, just beneath the surface of the clanging of our everyday lives. What do we believe in, who do we believe in, and how are we exercising our faith?
Verse 15 of our passage calls us the “aroma of Christ to God.” I love coming home to the aromas of a freshly baked dinner or loaf of bread. That is what I conjure up when I think of the results of this passage. Are our lives drawing people into the fresh aroma of
delightful faith, or are we pungent with bitterness, indifference, and fear. Do we radiate confidence in God, or does our anxiety take over and hijack our lives?
On our own, we cannot succeed in mastering hope against the darkness; I’m not purporting that in the least. But Paul says here, “Christ always leads us in triumphal procession,” like all those years ago in Jerusalem, Christ’s presence brings joy, and calm, and hope,
and ultimately, deliverance. Verse 16 drops an uncanny question, “Who is sufficient for these things?” I suggest today it’s you and I, the folks of faith, the believers who hold the keys to calm, to joy, to steadiness in these days of uncertainty.
So, on this day in history, we know the outcome the folks who danced with palm branches before Christ did not. He would die, but He would not stay dead… He arose, and in Him we have life, full
life, fragrant life, life that blooms and grows no matter the circumstances that encroach around us. We need not fear, for God is in charge; He has the world literally in the palm of His hand, and he can see us even in the midst of any darkness! Get out the palm branches, let us rejoice in that today, let us make fragrance that becomes the saints of God, let us breathe in the sweet aroma of the healing Christ brings and share that with the world around us!
Blessings all!
Mike Gillespie — Edited
In most everything that happens in life, that my small mind can phantom as bad things, I always, well most of the time, think of Job. Truly a blessed man. But never turned away. I live by this. No matter what, I refuse to turn away. Was raking my yard the other day and mentioned to a neighbor that I prayed for a vacation but this wasnt what I was thinking...(lol) He replies, " Enjoy it while you can". The reminder of what my life is like when things are as you stated, normal came down on me hard. So today my thoughts are, I'm healthy. I love my Lord and am thankful for every day he gives me. Vacation or not. Blessed day to you all!