I live in a house full of boys. Poor momma; Ashly is outnumbered 5:1. She is and will always be, well taken care of. There is, however, a lot of “special” moments that come along with having all these Y chromosomes under one roof. We’ll break into some of the chaos for the month of June and pull some truth from the carnage!
First, let’s talk about the smell!!! We’ve had some proud moments as the boys flex their essence in the most expressive ways. From farts to feet, uniforms to underarms, and diapers to damp clothes, there is no shortage of ominous odors to encounter in our world. Sometimes, there are conflicting mashups that have no explanation like cologne drenched raw onions or minty fresh moldy socks. Many come with unsolicited whiffs while others require a courtesy sniff (or two) (at least from each other or dad). Life is grand!!!
Okay, Let’s rein it in a little.
In scripture, we discover that God loves smoked meats and other things. We read about grain and animal sacrifices being an “aroma pleasing to the LORD.” (Leviticus 3:5; 6:15; 8:21; Numbers 18:17). This is an obvious and physical or tangible depiction of what living for God looks like and what God is interested in. Change of heart!
In the New Testament we find a switch in the idea and it moves from external animal sacrifices and physical burnt offerings, to people being referenced as the aroma pleasing to God. Jesus is of course an example of this and showed that it is in the way he gave up his life for all of mankind (Eph 5:2).
God is looking for people who are willing to be changed and live beyond themselves. And in “sacrificing” themselves, they become, as we can relate, an “aroma pleasing to the LORD.”
It’s referenced in several places and the idea is pretty simple yet profound. Does God savor my life or does it repulse Him?
There’s another style of smell that the prophet Isaiah shares: He writes about people faking their spirituality and posing as followers of God becoming a “stench in the nostrils of God” (Isaiah 65:5).
Smell is a beautiful gift and thanks to COVID, we discovered just how significant it is. With this imagery in scripture, we can trust that our heart posture and soul choices (not our daily actions) are the aromas that God enjoys. And the funk of foul offenses disgusts God like the smells coming from our boys after a steamy day of summer exploration and testosterone-filled adventure!
So, take a big whiff of your life and give an assessment of what notes it’s putting off. What could stand a bath or even to be burned? Sniff the pits of your heart and maybe it’s time for some spiritual hygiene work!!!
#FartsAndFeet
#PleasingAromaToGod
#BugsBoogersBoys
#RestoringWholenessOfLife
Brett
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