Corona Devo 1571

What is your favorite flower aroma? 

A rose?  

My papa used to have a flower garden with organized rows of rose bushes, and I can still see my little-girl-self sticking my nose into a bloom and inhaling that rich, robust, unique rose aroma deeply.

~~~

A lilac?  



The pungent floral aroma that exudes from their thick flower blooms is invisible but so powerful that it's almost palpable. 

~~~

A gardenia?  

Sweet and all encompassing--this flower aroma (to me) is (all at once) a breath of Miami while visiting my great grandma, a fragrant memory of hugging my gramma on her doorstep in Clearwater, and the fave flower for my mom to have sitting in a glass on her kitchen table. 

So many (floral) examples of pleasing aromas. 

But--what does God inhale when He breathes us in? 

In Ephesians, Chapter 5, the verses explain how Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for us and that act of love was a pleasing aroma to God. 

Are we a pleasing aroma to God?  Are our lives? 

How can we get to that (pleasing aroma) point?  

We often think of things and acts and even rules that we need to do in order to please the Lord...to be a pleasing aroma to Him.  But Scripture reminds us today that we can also please the Lord in what we choose NOT to do, as we live to honor Him. 

Abstaining from unholy acts, thoughts, and nuances can make us a pleasing aroma to God. 

The Bible tells us what to DO in order to please God...

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. (2) Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.  ~Ephesians 5:5:1-2

But the Bible also tells us what NOT TO DO in order to please God:

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.

(4) Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 

(5) You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.  

(6) Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. (7) Don’t participate in the things these people do.

(8) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 

(9) (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) (10) and find out what pleases the Lord. (11) Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 

(12) It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. (13) But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. (14) This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”  

(15) Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, (16) making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 

(17) Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (18) Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (19) speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, (20) always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  ~Ephesians 5:5:3-20

~~~

Sometimes we may feel like the Bible doesn't get specific-enough about what it means to follow Jesus, but today's verses give a whole bouquet of what-not-to-do.  

We need those reminders.  

And we need the example that Jesus provided about what-TO-do in living for the Lord.  We want our lives to be pleasing aromas to God, and the Bible tells us how to...and how not to.  

What does God inhale when He breathes us in? 

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. (2) Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.  ~Ephesians 5:5:1-2

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Corona Devo 1156

Image
At work, we provide Trainings for customers, so that they can be updated and educated on all of the latest features (and how to use them) within our product.  Many companies do this--sharing "Best Practices" are a way to ensure positive outcomes on the customer and vendor sides of things. My kids often offer me "life hacks" that they have learned from watching an online video promising to "save time" and "make your life easier".  And just this week, my husband enlightened me about the "tear-away" feature built into most plastic rings holding cans/bottles of pop or Gatorade together.  When separated, the plastic rips open easily, releasing the bottle--saving wildlife that might be caught if it is discarded as trash, and saving me  frustration or angst because I no longer have to pull with all my might to get a bottle out of the plastic rings.  ( Who knew? )  Life hacks do save time and make your life easier! Who couldn't benefit from...
Read more

Corona Devo 1217

Image
The unanswered “why’s” of life, the disorder of our days, and even the unfairness of our struggles can cause us to question ourselves and also to question our God. But the order-of-Creation and the systems that God has set in place are undeniable answers that swing back and forth like God’s pendulum-reminder that He set the world in motion, and He continues to keep order, even when it seems as if we and our world are in dis- order.   Job was a man going through some heavy and hard stuff.   Maybe we are too.   Job’s trials had caused him to question the order of life, and possibly God’s dominion over it.   We can relate.   The “Why’s?” and the “Why Me’s” can stack up in our minds and hearts, but like a parent exercising loving-authority over a child, God reminds Job and us--of His power, omniscience and of His ultimate authority over everything: Creation… and us today .   Then the  Lord  answered Job from the whirlwind: (2) “Who i...
Read more

Corona Devo 991

Running low on " good things " today?  Doesn't it (sometimes) seem like/trend like/read like/tweet like/water-cooler-chat or backyard-fence-visit like/intimidate like/depress like... there are no  good things in the land? . I know. It's no secret that many have abandoned  the Law of the  Lord,  and at times, that's us .   It is evident all around us that people have  followed each other  in this sin.  When we look around...or when we live our days...we can wonder: Are there  any  good things  left in the land? There are still some good things in the land ...and no matter how bleak we feel the "forecast" for today is...there will always  be  some good things in the land, because God is in the land.   T he Bible reminds us of that today.   ~~~ The Israelites (and their king, Rehoboam ) were God's people, but like all of us at times/seasons of our lives...they wandered from Lord and His ways....
Read more