Can You Smell Me Now?

As the aromas of breakfast linger this morning I am reminded of how powerful our sense of smell is. Just a passing whiff of Jergens Lotion and I am transported to a time of my innocence and youth. My Grandmother used Jergens everyday and though I am now the grandmother I cannot smell it to this day without thinking of her. It is a loving smell memory.

I once worked with a young woman, a single mom, who shared her fears she of not being a good enough mom to her son. I had been around her and the boy, they had a good relationship; she talked often of him, took extra steps to make sure he had all he needed and a lot of what he wanted. In talking it out I discovered her fear was based on an olfactory memory. She told of her mother, a German immigrant and stay at home mom, always smelling of onions. This young woman had embedded memories of hands that tended her in good times or through sickness smelling of onions. She was not a cook like her mom and rarely smelled of onions so she felt lacking as a good mother. In our talk, she became aware of why she felt as she did and was able to see her smell memory dictated her feelings, not reality. An embedded memory of smells is powerful, indeed.

God talks of aromas in scripture. He often referenced the sweet aroma of burnt offerings. There are two clear distinctions between the sweet-savor offerings and the sin and trespass offerings. The burnt meal and peace offerings were a sweet savor because no sin was represented in them. God enjoyed them because of the devotion of the one making the offer they represented; such as prayer, praise and worship for us today.

The sin and trespass offerings, requiring unblemished animals to represent the sinless Christ, were nonetheless laden with un-forgiven sin. These offerings were not a sweet aroma to the Lord. Jesus was laden with sin once He took our sins upon Himself, and the law claimed His life.

A second distinction is that the sin and trespass offerings were burnt outside the camp. This act emphasized God's disgust and aversion to sin and at the same time signaled the separation sin produces. The sinner, separated from God, could have no access to Him until he repented, and he was likewise separated from the community until cleansed of his trespass.

However, in giving Himself as a living sacrifice out of love and devotion, Jesus was first a sweet-savor offering.

Smell is powerful and it is the sweet savor aroma of Christ and His sacrifice that we as Believers bring to God as we walk out our life in devotion to Him. The Old Testament talks of the burnt offerings and sacrifices under the Law while the New Testament talks of the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus, the fulfillment of scripture in the Old Testament.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (NIV) But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

Ephesians 5:2 (Amplified) 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.

As I write this the smell of my favorite incense is wafting through my house. It is rich, complex and I find it a very pleasant fragrance. I hope and pray that my life as a Believer walking to bring Jesus to others is as sweet a savor fragrance to God. I certainly want to be the ‘aroma of Christ’ in God’s nostrils. Yes, our sense of smell is powerful, may we always be as a sweet fragrance to God.