Thursday, May 13, 2010

What Smells at Your House?

In Jeff's absence, I've had the chance to experience a whole new angle of a weekly phenomenon ... how the trash gets to the top of our driveway Wednesday morning ;) Let me tell you ... we have a driveway!

I almost missed it this week, but I remembered LATE at night and rushed out to drag the green box of dead weight up our hill driveway. Lest you get a sorry picture of me (Yes, I was in my pj's), let me tell you what struck me ... the smell! No, not the smell of the garbage. The smell of something outside around our house. Heavenly fragrance filling the night air and sweetening an otherwise "trashy" moment. No one else was even there to enjoy it, yet something was releasing its aroma into the air just because that's what it's meant to do. Instead of grumbling at the sleeping kids who were supposed to remember to drag aforementioned garbage up aforementioned driveway, I went to bed smiling at my Heavenly Father's late night admonition to me.

Ephesians 5:1, 2 ~ "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma."


That's children of God giving off His fragrance at all times, just because that's what we're meant to do. Seem too hard to do in your stinky circumstances?

2 Cor. 2:14-15 ~ "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."


We are to be the diffusers of the fragrance of His knowledge everywhere. The heavenly scent overcoming the stench of the rotten things of the world. That means we have to know Him through His Word. I'm going to be praying today that the Lord will help me smell myself for who I really am and to show me what I'm diffusing. Would you pray that prayer with me for your own life? How does it smell where you live?


8 COMMENTS ~ Click here to leave a COMMENT:

Michelle said...

That was beautiful, Julie and a good prayer for all of us!

We seem to have the opposite problem. We have to travel down a very long hill! I can't imagine having to trek up the hill with all that garbage! Praise God that He helped you have such a great attitude aroma in the midst of such a smell!

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

First of all, I'm still in my pj's at 10:19 AM. I don't imagine that might change any time soon. Make no apologies.

Secondly, I had kids so that they could do the trash, carry in the groceries, and pump my gas. Wake them up!

Lastly, and most importantly, I want the aroma of Jesus all over me, in me, through me, most days in spite of me. To get there, I must remain tethered to his heart and continually be in a posture of asking for his fragrance to fill me up to overflow. How often could I be accused of an earthly stench?! God forgive me for not putting on the aroma of your Son's sacrifice. Keep me humbly to the dressing of your cross each day.

peace~elaine

Unknown said...

Wonderful analogy! Thanks for the reminder, as well as your sweet comment on my post today! It meant a lot!

Traci Michele said...

LOVE this illustration! That has always been one of my favorite verses.

Hmmm, I think it is smelling "okay" over here today, but I want it to be sweetly overwhelmingly fragrant! Thank you Jesus!

Hugs,
Traci

Unknown said...

This is a great analogy! I will be praying with you!

BTW, I LOVE the bible you sent me. It is so pretty and convenient. I am also loving the translation. Thank you!!!

Julie Arduini said...

Another thing we have in common...I'm often in my PJ's hauling the can down the driveway at hours that defy the imagination.

I didn't forget your winning book, Women of Passions, from UBP, I just received it this week and hope to get it in the mail tomorrow. I appreciate your patience! :) Julie

Jen said...

Well said! I love that passage of Scripture and will be meditating on it as I think about the fragrance that I emit as I go on my way with life. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Amen!! I hope I smell like Him! :)