Warm and toasty greetings friends. If you're stopping by after reading today's Proverbs 31 devotion, welcome.
After the sweetest time ever with the ladies at Cornerstone Christian Church in Wyckoff, NJ (I'll post some pictures in a few days),
I'm on my way to Michigan to spend a few days speaking to the wonderful ladies of Ada Bible Church.
I'd venture a guess that your home is filled with the heady scent of pine boughs, sugar cookies and other seasonal favorites today. I just love the scents of this season, don't you?
In today's devotion I used the metaphor of fragrance to describe our spiritual lives.
This reminds me of the first time I met my best friend Lisa B.
Lisa was new to the neighbor and set out to meet her new neighbors. The first woman she met was kind and gracious in welcoming Lisa to the neighborhood, but she did have one warning for her. "You will want to stay away from the house on the corner there." "The lady who lives there is a Jesus Freak!" Lisa thanked the lady, then headed for the house on the corner. She made her way up the sidewalk, stepped on the front porch and rang the doorbell.
I answered the door and invited the new neighbor in. As Lisa stepped through the door, she turned and sniffed the air. She paused a moment then said "I smell Jesus." "I've been praying all morning that the Lord would lead me to a neighbor who loves Jesus, and here you are." Yep, I smell Jesus on you." Needless to say that was the start of our 23 year friendship.
What about you friend, is your life fragrance inviting and pleasant to Christ and to others?
During this season of warm and welcoming scents, I would ask you to abide in Christ in order to spread the sweet fragrance of His goodness.
Will your family and friends smell Jesus on you today?
8 Comments:
Hi Zoe.
This was such a great way to start the day! Thanks so much for the reminder. I am glad you and your family are alright and wish you a blessed Christmas and New Years season!
I left a comment on PR 31, this is a lesson I am learning, the hard way unfortunately, but i hope I have the smell of submission and not overbearingness and strength that doesn't come from the Lord. I will work on my scent.
Wonderful comparison and reminder for us all. So sorry you had to experience the fire (I followed you and your progress on Facebook) but am so thankful you and your family are safe. God Bless you and Merry Christmas!
Thank you for the reminder. The old people would say that when young folks reach a certain age and are exercising their independence it is a result of being able to "smell themselves". They were referring to the body odor that accompanies adolescence and the fight for independence at that stage in life. Unfortunately, I have been guilty of this in a spiritual sense. I have found myself exercising my independence from God because, just as the average teenager, I know it all and refuse to submit to the higher authority. I repent!
Last night a power struggle with my almost 13 year old son helped me to see how I have been engaging God in my own struggle for authority and my refusal of His. In the middle of all of the chaos that ensued during a head on collision with a young teen, God whispered to me, "See, this is how I feel when you frustrate me my child and refuse to submit to me. I only want what's best for you and right now you don't know what it is - I do!" Today, I woke up repentant and ready to listen! Your words were the icing on the cake! God bless!
Thank you for the reminder. The old people would say that when young folks reach a certain age and are exercising their independence it is a result of being able to "smell themselves". They were referring to the body odor that accompanies adolescence and the fight for independence at that stage in life. Unfortunately, I have been guilty of this in a spiritual sense. I have found myself exercising my independence from God because, just as the average teenager, I know it all and refuse to submit to the higher authority. I repent!
Last night a power struggle with my almost 13 year old son helped me to see how I have been engaging God in my own struggle for authority and my refusal of His. In the middle of all of the chaos that ensued during a head on collision with a young teen, God whispered to me, "See, this is how I feel when you frustrate me my child and refuse to submit to me. I only want what's best for you and right now you don't know what it is - I do!" Today, I woke up repentant and ready to listen! Your words were the icing on the cake! God bless!
I once did a children's sermon on this concept. We concluded that prejudice smells like a skunk, bullying like rotten garbage, sharing like chocolate chip cookies, encouragement like lilacs. The whole congregation joined in the brainstorming. But we didn't include any Christmas scents. Christmas smells like love.
yes, how we all want to carry that fragrance and be an influence and not a stumbling block. I am finding it difficult with my own strength. Please pray for me as I kept getting upset with a sister that stay with me.. We have never been on good terms when we were young, but, as she needed a roof over her head i accomodated but i seemed to be unable to love her as we have frequent cruels during these 5 years. I felt it's better that we do not live together but financially she can't buy her own flat, or am i the one that God should work on still? I am feeling down & in low spirits when I am home with her. I wonder if sin is causing the uneasiness and affecting me spiritually. Please pray for me as there are some things that i find difficult to submit to Him, yet my heart wants to please God & have a hunger & thirst for His Word.
Ahh sweet reminder! I like it!
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