Have you ever sat by a campfire and found, that even hours later, the smell of smoke had permeated your clothes? \u00a0It lingers, it clings and others can smell it too.<\/p>\n
Often, as I live in a world that reminds me of Sodom and Gomorrah, I’m aware that the smell of the culture has clung to me, that I’ve sat by their campfires too long.<\/p>\n
I know, having experienced it, that by simply walking by a campfire the smoke of it easily and quickly permeates your clothing and the smell goes with you. \u00a0Some of that is unavoidable as we live in a world walking away from God, but it’s not the aroma I want others to smell in my life.<\/p>\n
Paul writes of another aroma, another smell that permeates a Christian, that’s what I long to smell like,<\/p>\n
\u00a0“<\/span>But\u00a0thanks be to God, who in Christ always\u00a0leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads\u00a0the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.<\/span>\u00a0For we are the aroma of Christ to God among\u00a0those who are being saved and among\u00a0those who are perishing,<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>to one a fragrance from death to death,\u00a0to the other a fragrance from life to life.” 2 Corinthians 2\u00a0<\/span><\/i> Lord, help me to live in the world, but not smell like it. \u00a0Let me smell like you, having walked by the fires of your Spirit burning in the lives of others, and may that aroma linger with me, the smell of Christ, and might it be a sweet aroma that draws men to you.<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>I live in a world that smells of smoke, the smoke of rebellion against God, but in the midst of that aroma God has given us a new fragrance, the smell of Christ, the aroma of life.<\/p>\n