FRAGRANCE & SUMMER FRUIT

Life is the mysterious gift God gives each of us.  Like summer flowers, life comes in all sizes, colors and fragrances.  The sunlight that dispels shadows also reveals color and affects taste. For some, blooms scarcely appear and quickly vanish. For others, winter frost terminates their existence.  Solomon reminds us that there is "a time to be born and a time to die." Yet in between, our concept of eternity is reflected by the quality of our lives and the effectiveness of our witness.

While at supper in Bethany six days before Passover, Mary took a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume, and poured it on Jesus' feet, wiping them with her hair.  The house was filled with the fragrance of this perfume (John 12:2,3). This humble act was an expression of Mary's love for Christ.  But it also symbolized Christ's poured out love for us from Calvary.  As spikenard is squeezed from the heart of a flower, so the crushed life of Jesus issued forth a fragrant love that touches us today. We often forget that God uses crushing trials to develop Christian character. 

In writing to the Corinthians, Paul reminds us that our lives distill the sweet odor of Christ wherever we go (2 Cor.2:15)with the resulting invitation to "taste and see that the Lord is good." A fragrant life will issue into fruitful service! So, what kind of fragrance is issuing from your life?  That is a good question to ponder as we walk down the corridors of this new year!