A Sweet Aroma

I was born with a keen sense of smell. My poor mother.  As a child, I embarrassed her so many times in public restrooms. I had no problem informing her when the bathroom had unpleasant aromas. My son has paid me back thoroughly. His nose is even more sensitive than mine. One good thing is I am usually the one to smell something burning. My husband appreciates this as he has had very few burnt meals in our marriage. Now I am very quick to find the source of unpleasant smells. I can’t stand it when something stinks or has a stale smell. I will clean, light candles and spray odor neutralizers. I will do what it takes to have a pleasant aroma around me.

---

21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart [is] evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. - Genesis 8:21 KJV

I have to believe God has a strong sense of smell also. Imagine the smell of the earth after the flood. Have you ever smelled a swamp? Stale water and decaying plants. On top of those smells there was the decaying flesh. All a reminder of the punishment for man’s wickedness. In the midst of that stink, Noah offered a sacrifice. He reminded God that in the middle of the wickedness there was still someone who wanted to live righteously. Even in the tabernacle God wanted a sweet smell. Not just the smell of sacrifices but of incense. As with everything He was specific about what was used.

34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; [these] sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like [weight]: 35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure [and] holy: - Exodus 30:34-35 KJV

God picked the combination of these four ingredients for a reason. Stacte is myrrh flowing forth spontaneously. This just wasn’t regular myrrh.  It was myrrh that did not have to be drawn from the tree to be harvested.  It was myrrh that was freely given. Onycha is the covering or shell of a muscle found in the lakes of India. The root word means to peel off. Galbanum is a strong smelling gum. Everyone knew which priest had burnt the incense that day. Frankincense is a product of certain trees that grow on the limestone rocks of south Arabia. Some of the trees grow very tall and send down their roots to amazing depths. The gum is obtained by cutting the bark. The gum is collected in yellowish, semi transparent tears.

---

There are many buried truths in God’s word. Principles He is teaching us if we search for them. He wanted the incense to be freely given. He didn’t want pretenses but open and vulnerable. He wanted the hard things; the deep things and not just scratching the surface. He wants to cut past the tough outside, even if there are tears. He wants others to know the scent.

2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice. - Psalm 141:2 KJV

We don’t burn incense anymore, but my prayer can go as a sweet smell before God. He desires that my prayers would go freely before Him. That I would have no pretenses when I come to Him. Jesus challenged the way Jews thought in the Sermon on the Mount. Many strong held beliefs and ideas were contested and they were told they could do better. He challenged them to a personal relationship with God, not just a ceremonial one. Not just praying at the temple where everyone sees, but praying where no one sees. Not just repeating phrases that have lost their meaning, but tell God what is on your heart. He already knows. You won’t surprise Him.

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. - Matthew 6:5-8 KJV

He desires that my prayers would be open and vulnerable. That I wouldn’t just give Him surface prayers, but my prayer would go deep. Breaking the hard things in my life, even if they come out in tears. I tell my children, I can’t fix what they don’t ask me to. Until we open the problem up to God, He can’t come in and help. He won’t force his way, but what a sweet smell it is to Him when we show our trust and are open to Him.

17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. - Psalm 51:17 KJV
​
The beauty is that when we have been burning our incense to God, not only will He know I have spent time in prayer, but those around me will know. When through prayer I have offered to God from the depth of my being, He will cover us from His depth. 

15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, - 2 Corinthians 2:15 ESV

Just as I am particular with the physical smells around me, I need to be just as conscious of the spiritual aromas around me.  What am I offering to God?  Is it like the pure incense He required in the tabernacle?

---