“ ‘When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, their offering is to be of the finest flour. They are to pour olive oil on it, put incense on it and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the LORD (1-3).
There was an interesting tidbit in Moses’ explanation of grain offering that caught my attention. All grain offerings included incense. But this incense was only added to the Lord’s memorial portion of the offering. It was not to be part of the portion the priests kept for themselves. This way only God’s portion created an aroma pleasing to the Lord when it was roasted on the altar.
Offerings to the Lord are to create a pleasing aroma… an aroma, if you will, that the Lord can enjoy and delight in. And this aroma is unique to service for the Lord… it is special to and for God.
I pictured women who have some very expensive perfume, the kind that is only used on select special occasions and never ordinary days. That is what this was like… the Lord’s portion of a grain offerings was very special and was set apart with incense that made a pleasing aroma which indicated it was for the Lord.
My thoughts clicked to a New Testament passage where Paul writes, But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).
My life is to generate the pleasing aroma of Christ as I live. Where I live and walk and find myself I am to be producing Christ’s aroma.
When I am alone, Christ’s aroma is to be wafting out of me… my thoughts, my actions, my dreams should smell of Jesus.
When I am with other people, Christ’s aroma is to be wafting out of me… my thoughts, my actions, my interactions, my motivations should smell of Jesus.
I am to bring Jesus and Jesus’ aroma with me wherever I am.
How I live matters. The things I say matter. The attitudes I convey matter. My life matters. I am important to filling this world with the aroma and knowledge of Jesus…
If you are a Christ-follower then how you live matters, too…
Think about this.
Oh, Lord, please forgive me my sins. Wash away from me the stench of sin so that the aroma of Jesus might ooze from my life as I go about my day today. May my life today advance the cause of Christ. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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