The Aroma of Christ

Greg took these pictures of our spanish broom bush -

I just love spring - when things start turning green, the blooms, the budding of flowers. Our backyard in late spring and summer becomes a place I can go and feel a peace. I love to sit and just look at the flowers, hear the leaves in the trees rustling in the wind, and just enjoy the beauty of God's creation. This time of year we have on the east, south, and west side of our house several spanish broom bushes that bloom a yellow bloom in the spring - they give off the sweetest smell. When we walk into our backyard it is a wonderful aroma a sweet smell - I just love it. I have been rolling this thought around in my head ever since I read this scripture:

2 Corinthians 2:14-15

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.

I cannot help but think that as Christians in this world we are the "aroma of Christ" to others. We are to be a fresh fragrance that Christ living in us spreads to everyone. I noticed the other day when the wind was blowing and I went in the backyard I didn't smell the sweet smell - I saw the blooms but the smell was not as strong. Then this morning when I opened the back door I was overwhelmed with the sweet smell in the calmness of the morning. Again, my mind went to compare this to my life - Satan can sometimes be the wind in my life trying to blow the "aroma" away by sending crises and problems, worries that take my mind off of Christ and the knowledge of Him - but I thought the blooms are still there, and the wind will pass and the fragrance is still there! I searched the word aroma in the Bible and the OT is packed full of scriptures talking about "a pleasing aroma" or "an aroma pleasing to the LORD" - only by allowing God to transform us - have complete access to our lives - we will then begin to become a pleasing aroma to Him. Look at the scripture above -and just imagine we can praise God daily for He leads us in a triumphal procession in Christ - I can just imagine like in the Rose bowl parade, imagine us in the parade for Christ - God is "leading" us! I have never been to the rose bowl parade and since TV has no smell - but I can bet ya the sweet aroma that comes from all of the floats - I love the smell of a florist shop, can't imagine. Well, how much more are we as Christians when we walk into a room to fill it with the sweet pleasing aroma of Christ. This is "Not" something that can come from human effort - only God. I do not want my "aroma" to be like an air freshener masking the bad smell of sin and worldliness - I want the aroma to be from God and pleasing to God! I pray that I will always remember to keep my mind, heart and life pure.