It seems a lot of the events in my life this week have involved smoke: I gathered friends around a bonfire to celebrate a dear friend’s retirement as we ceremonially burned the scrubs she had acquired over her decades as a nurse; I devoured delicious fall-off-the-bone BBQ after it had smoked overnight in a pit; and, because it was my birthday weekend, I enjoyed several decadent deserts all set aflame to the tune of the birthday song.
In each experience, a flame was ignited, hard work was appreciated, and the end result was wonderful. The smoke that rose up on each occasion represented a culmination of blood, sweat, and tears. A legacy of service. A tried-and-true recipe for success. A life well lived. As the smoke rose up, we celebrated all the moments that brought us to that day.
I couldn’t help but think that is how God receives the aroma of our lives. He breathes in the endless hours of hard work, joy, frustration, and willingness to keep going. He knows our hopes and dreams and bears witness to our successes and failures. He determines the number of our days and celebrates all we accomplish for His glory.
I don’t know about you, but I am certain my life has not always been a fragrant offering. The times we are vengeful, hurtful, prideful, sinful… full of anything but God and His kingdom the smoke rises up like a tire fire and the smell is putrid and toxic. Other times, when we are filled with the Spirit, we love well, we invest in others, we serve for God’s glory… in those times our life’s fragrance rises like the sweet aroma from a field of wildflowers. It is exactly as God has intended.
God wants to consume us. He places a dream in our heart and cultivates the desire to pursue it. Our dreams are for our good and His glory! He ignites the spark within us and slowly fans the flame until we glow from within. We become a reflection of the Light of the World! He is careful to not allow us to burn to hot or too quickly – He matures our faith as the intensity of the flame grows. God loves nothing more than to see His children step into our destiny because that is when we become a wonderfully fragrant offering to Him.
So what kind of smoke have you been giving off lately? Do you burn up all the world throws at you creating a flame of negativity and frustration? Do you glow strong and steady with the love of Christ by shining His love into the dark corners of the world and leading others closer to Him? Or are you not even sure your heart holds a flame anymore? Have the winds of difficult seasons all but extinguished your fire leaving you feeling cold and disconnected? Take heart – God is NOT done with you yet! If you have breath in your lungs, God has a dream for your heart. Your life is intended to be a fragrant offering for Him and He will take you from frustrated to favored if you trust Him to light the fire!
Be blessed!
Jennifer
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2