Our senses are a fine thing.
Very handy to see where you’re going, and hear that car horn just when you were about to step off the pavement. And nice too, when you want to smell the roses, enjoy a warm hug or it’s Bolognese for tea!
That being said, the messages our senses send us vary a bit.
I mean that takeaway smelled really mouthwatering last night, but today the car is stinking. What was a pleasure in the evening is sometimes a problem in the morning!
And not everyone shares the same tastes. One man’s ‘meat’ of cabbage and bacon is like proverbial ‘poison’ to others.
The apostle Paul used sense imagery when speaking about how being a Christian affects us, and those around us! He writes that God ‘uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other an aroma that brings life.’ (1 Corinthians 2 v 15-16)
It seems the more closely we seek to follow Jesus, the more His Spirit produces an authentic Christ-like character to our lives. We begin to think with more purity like Him, speak more truthfully like Him, and act with similar compassion and love.
This pleases God, like the wonderful smell of dinner-almost-ready makes us smile! And people who bring a flavour of Christ to life provide a compelling witness to friends, neighbours and associates. Some are persuaded to try the challenge of faith for themselves, while others screw up their faces and hearts in resentment and opposition.
March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. Here, and indeed worldwide, everyone gets to feel a little ‘Irish’ and celebrate a bit of a holiday. However it should be obvious that most of the celebration has little or nothing to do with the coming of the good news of Jesus to Ireland in the 5th century!
While legends abound, evidence suggests Patrick was a godly man and a sincere evangelist. His ‘Breastplate’ prayer for daily protection reflects someone whose earnest desire, like the Apostle Paul’s, was to bring a savour of Jesus to all whom he met:
‘…Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me…
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me…’
Wouldn’t that be a fine prayer for every Christian to offer and reflect on!
That every encounter we have with people would have a powerful impact for Jesus.
Let’s pray that He will help us make it so.
For the glory of our Lord and the spread of His kingdom worldwide.
Amen.
Very handy to see where you’re going, and hear that car horn just when you were about to step off the pavement. And nice too, when you want to smell the roses, enjoy a warm hug or it’s Bolognese for tea!
That being said, the messages our senses send us vary a bit.
I mean that takeaway smelled really mouthwatering last night, but today the car is stinking. What was a pleasure in the evening is sometimes a problem in the morning!
And not everyone shares the same tastes. One man’s ‘meat’ of cabbage and bacon is like proverbial ‘poison’ to others.
The apostle Paul used sense imagery when speaking about how being a Christian affects us, and those around us! He writes that God ‘uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other an aroma that brings life.’ (1 Corinthians 2 v 15-16)
It seems the more closely we seek to follow Jesus, the more His Spirit produces an authentic Christ-like character to our lives. We begin to think with more purity like Him, speak more truthfully like Him, and act with similar compassion and love.
This pleases God, like the wonderful smell of dinner-almost-ready makes us smile! And people who bring a flavour of Christ to life provide a compelling witness to friends, neighbours and associates. Some are persuaded to try the challenge of faith for themselves, while others screw up their faces and hearts in resentment and opposition.
March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. Here, and indeed worldwide, everyone gets to feel a little ‘Irish’ and celebrate a bit of a holiday. However it should be obvious that most of the celebration has little or nothing to do with the coming of the good news of Jesus to Ireland in the 5th century!
While legends abound, evidence suggests Patrick was a godly man and a sincere evangelist. His ‘Breastplate’ prayer for daily protection reflects someone whose earnest desire, like the Apostle Paul’s, was to bring a savour of Jesus to all whom he met:
‘…Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me…
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me…’
Wouldn’t that be a fine prayer for every Christian to offer and reflect on!
That every encounter we have with people would have a powerful impact for Jesus.
Let’s pray that He will help us make it so.
For the glory of our Lord and the spread of His kingdom worldwide.
Amen.
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