The Fragrance Of Life And The Scent Of Deception

The fragrance of Jesus will become a living aroma in and through us, but only after it has first been used for the purpose of our own burial. 

As aromatic as it is, the fragrance of Christ inevitably gives off a perceived odor of death to self,  foul to the human sense of what life should smell like. This is a lethal deterrent for many, and it is played out in many different ways. 

Leveling The Playing Field

"A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley...'" (Isaiah 40:3-4 NASB)

In the midst of our own wilderness, when we prepare the way for the Lord, we allow Him to go before us to raise the valleys of deception & self pity; to bring down the mountains of religion & self righteousness; and to level the rugged ground of our own understanding and self reliance.

PJR