A Mouthwatering Aroma

For dinner, after a long and busy day, I picked up a rotisserie chicken to bring home. The hot, juicy chicken promised to be an enjoyable main dish in an easily put together meal. Since my husband would be arriving home from work shortly after I did, there would be plenty of time to have a nice hot dinner ready for him. Although I would not call it a feast, it would be enjoyable and nourishing.

On the way home, I had to make a quick stop at a store that was five minutes from work. Although I was out of my car less than ten minutes, my senses were assaulted by the wonderful aroma of that hot chicken in the back of my SUV. The tantalizing aroma permeated every part of the vehicle. Although it was in the trunk, which is as far from the driver’s seat as possible, the scent of roasted chicken was overpowering. I became hungrier with every moment of the drive home.

A cold, raw chicken would not have produced the same mouthwatering aromas. In fact, I would not have been aware of its presence when I entered the driver seat of a vehicle. It is only by the addition of seasonings and the time spent in the oven that this chicken developed the rich, savory fragrance that caused my mouth to water. The scent of that properly prepared chicken was strong on its own, but it was also full of promise and the taste that would follow.

In this same manner the presence of that chicken permeated my vehicle with a wonderful aroma, does our presence, as followers of Jesus Christ, permeate the spiritual atmosphere we enter with the scent of God’s presence? Does knowing us cause others to be hungry to know Jesus for themselves?

We are to exude the fragrance of God’s knowledge to everyone around us. ^“But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere, For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15 AMP) Just by our connection to Jesus we will begin to carry an aroma into the spiritual atmosphere of our daily lives.

When we display love, we will introduce the sweet scent of Jesus to those who observe us. “Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 AMP) We sacrifice our own desires to serve others and the fragrance of Jesus penetrates our spirit. Others will gravitate to that scent and hunger to know Him.

Prayer, intimate communication with God, has a scent of incense. King David prayed, “Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” (Psalm 141:2 AMP) This same imagery appears in the book of Revelation. “And another angel came and stood over the altar. He had a golden censer, and he was given very much incense (fragrant spices and gums which exhale perfume when burned), that he might mingle it with the prayers of all the people of God (the saints) upon the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense (the perfume) arose in the presence of God, with the prayers of the people of God (the saints), from the hand of the angel.” (Revelation 8:3-4 AMP) Once people have been in close proximity to incense, they come away carrying its aroma with them. When we spend time in prayer we will also come away with the scent of God.

Through love, obedience, prayer and simply spending time with the Lord each day, we will come away perfectly seasoned and smelling of his character. We must allow that aroma to develop over time. It will then follow us wherever we go.

Live a life of truly loving others in actions and words. Spend time with our Heavenly Father in prayer. You will then offer the mouthwatering scent of the knowledge and presence of God to others.