mmmm… That smells Good…

I always love walking into a room and being greeted by the smell of food. There is nothing like entering the front door of my parent’s house, especially around the holiday season, and smelling fresh baked bread or pie or cookies. The lingering smell draws me towards the source; it distracts my mind and makes my stomach growl. My salivary glands go crazy, and my mouth yearns to only take a bite and fully enjoy one of the delicious treats…

As I was reading today, I came across a verse. I obviously thought this was an excellent verse before, because I found it highlighted in my bible. However, this time it hit me a little differently and really grabbed my attention…

“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. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?” 2 Corinthians 2: 14-16

“the aroma of Christ” We are to have the aroma or smell or fragrance of Christ to others. We, just like the lingering smell, should be drawing people towards Christ. We should draw people towards the source of what gives us our appealing aroma. We should make there mind go crazy and the soul yearn to understand and to eventual fully enjoy Christ. Christ in essence is the cookie or pie; he is what will give the actual satisfaction and joy. He is what enables us to have our aroma, without the cookie there is no sent. Our job is only to direct people show them, guide them, to the real satisfaction. It says they will perceive it as they wish; maybe they will reject the truth and find it as “the smell of death” but just maybe God has given them understanding and they will see it as “the fragrance of life”. Either way it is our duty to be an aroma, a reflection of Christ. It says “And who is equal to such a task?” Meaning, who is better who is more equipped, then those who already have the guiding of the Holy Spirit. It later says in chapter three, that we should have confidence in ourselves through Christ, knowing well that our competence comes from God (2 Corinthians 3: 4-6).

Funny how things work out

Hmmm… funny how when you think you don’t have anytime to wright, you find yourself writing anyways…I have had the privilege this year to of being part of GRIT (God’s Recruit In Training). It has broken down a larger group of students into smaller more personal accountability groups. In which we are challenged to look at particular areas of our lives such as: exercise; devotions (time and quality); involvement in church; a discipline of some sort, such as with staining from something for three days our spend so many hours in prayer; and reading a good book. In my particular accountability I am leading the discussion on the book. My group choose “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper, and I must admit I was disappointed by their choice. I was looking forward to reading a book that I have never read. However, being sense I have read it, it put me into a position where I could lead the discussion on it. I have found it fascinating that when you are not very enthused about something God will put you into a position of leadership. That key role of leadership will force you to participate and then, looking back upon it, you are very thankful that He (God) did just that. This happened to be one of those situations, and I am thankful that God is having read that book again…

“The thought of building my life around minimal morality or minimal significance — a life defined by the question, ‘What is permissible?’ — felt almost disgusting to me. I didn’t want a minimal life. I didn’t want to live on the outskirts of reality. I wanted to understand the main thing about life and pursue it.”

Reading that section of the book really hit me — how many areas in my life am I only going to give half effort or maybe no effort at all– My mind instantly went to my schooling, and how I can’t even remember when the last time I actually read the text book before class or when I actually studied before I absolutely had too. Or when I actually felt ready for a Test.
Why does it matter? Does God really care– I mean I am still passing my classes with good enough grades– God only really cares about the “Christian” aspect of my life right? This thinking when read is easily seen as flawed, but I am afraid that I find my self thinking those very things. That doing my devotions and being apart of a ministry and other “Christian” things is the only parts of my life that I should give 100 %. I know it is a basic idea and all of us know 1 Corinthians 10: 31 “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” It just was a good reminder for me that not giving 100 %, in every aspect of my life, for His Glory is a wasted life.