“I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherin ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.” Ez. 20: 41
Today’s daily devotional
“How about this one?” My sister sprays me with a heady mist and giggles as she hides behind the makeup counter. I take one whiff of my shirt and I know exactly why she is hiding. I cannot stand the sent of CK one. It reminds me of my high school days and if they would stay in the past—that would be just fine with me.
I smile deviously as I scan the shelves to find the most “old lady” scent that Macy’s carries. I am quite determined and inspired to return the favor. My eyes land on the beautiful Shalimar bottle in front of me. I know the liquid poison inside will definitely remind my sister not to mess with me!
Fragrance has such a strong impact on our memories and impressions. Whenever I smell the powdery goodness of Chanel no. 5, I can feel my heart swell for a moment. It is an automatic response to the thing that most often came next—a warm hug from my darling grandmother. She was such a lady in every way. And sadly, although Chanel no. 5 lives on, my grandmother is no longer with me.
The scent of Tide detergent reminds me of my aunt, the “nacho cheesiness” of Dorito’s chips makes me think of my nephew and the smoldering scent of Bond no. 9 Riverside Drive causes my heart skip a beat. It brings my favorite person in the world (my husband) to mind.
Some fragrances give me a headache. Others aggravate my allergies; and many even cause me to actually loose my appetite. The great ones will actually beckon me to linger longer, to breathe deeper and to feel calmer.
In Ez. 20:41 God actually compares His children to a sweet scent. We, as believers are to stand out from the crowd. No matter where we are in this world, the common thread that will separate us from the rest of the world is our sweetness.
Sweetness is an affectionate term for goodness wrapped in kindness. The obvious counterfeits that try to pass themselves off as sweet have slick packaging that wears away quickly. True sweetness never rots away; it only gets sweeter with time.
When you are in the presence of others, do you emit the sweet savor of the Christ you claim to love? Nobody is perfect, and true sweetness takes time to come into itself. God has started a sweet work inside of you, it is up to you to allow His beauty to grow and overcome the things you would rather not be known for. He wants to leave a sweet impression on all that know you, because when you do, you are a very good witness for Him.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I have so many things that I know are not pleasing to you, because they do not speak a good and strong witness. I want to be separate from the world, but sometimes I feel drawn to it as well.
Help me to overcome the obstacles that are trying to choke out my witness and power. I know I have Christ living within me and I want Him to help overtake the areas that I have made excuses for.
Lord, there are many qualities that I cannot even stand about myself. Can you help me to really overcome these areas? Give me the confidence in you that I need to have to completely trust in you. Help me to remember that the only way for me to hear your voice is to read your word.
Give me a hunger for your word, so I can grow stronger in it everyday.
As I do, let the scent of your presence permeate wherever I am. Give me the scent of you, as I know that will draw out the best in me and everyone else around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s daily devotional.
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan