“And the house was filled with fragrance”
(John 12:3 – NLT)
On entering Father’s house one immediately becomes aware of the fragrance. It is quite unique – sweet and overpowering yet beautiful, addictive yet attractive. Once experienced no other fragrance can ever compare to it.
Of all our senses smell has a unique quality. A certain smell may remind us of a room, place or building, which has long been erased from our memory. A particular fragrance may also remind us of a certain person – and along with it all of the emotions we experienced when in their presence.
Spiritual fragrance has a similar effect! We may have walked in to a room and, quite unexpectedly, known the “fragrance” of His presence. What a wonderful and rare experience that is. Yet in my Father’s house the fragrance of His person and the fragrance which rises from the worship of his adoring children mix together to form a majestic aroma that must be experience to be appreciated. And, there are times when the fragrance of Father’s spiritual house invades our natural homes.
I have a number of friends who were together in a home on the Isle of Skye one evening when the “fragrance” of Father’s house broke in to their physical realm in such an overwhelming way that each one was aware of it. Even on leaving the house the material fragrance accompanied them. It was an experience none of them will ever forget!
The fragrance that filled the house in Bethany (John 12) was as the result of abandoned, reckless, extravagant worship. The wonderful truth is that we, at this moment in time, are also fragrant to the Father! “Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God”– writes the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 2:15). He also reminds us in the same letter that we ought to be a “life-giving perfume” to one another. Yes – we can live in the fragrance of the house today – most especially so when we abandon ourselves in extravagant worship in His service and in the service of others.
To be continued …
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