My Favourite Perfume
While I smiled and thanked her appropriately, I was a little worried about this gift.
Reference: v.37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. (TNIV Bible)
Explore: I am regularly told that I am the hardest person to buy a present for. I don’t focus too much on material things, and don’t have many hobbies, so there is no easy gift that people could buy for me.
A few years ago a new friend of mine bought me some perfume for my birthday. While I smiled and thanked her appropriately, I was a little worried about this gift.
You see there was only one perfume I ever liked and I only applied it occasionally. My mother is allergic to fragrances, and so I never really grew up being around people who wore perfume regularly.
But I was touched at my friend’s gift and impressed that she would be brave enough to choose a fragrance for me. I sprayed some on and it smelled ok, and I told her it was lovely and much appreciated.
Later that day when I was doing the dishes I noticed a fabulous smell. It wasn’t the dishwashing detergent and it certainly was not my dirty dishes. I realised that it was my birthday perfume. After it had been on my skin for a while it brought out some amazing aromas and I instantly fell in love.
This perfume is now my favourite… and I’m even on to my third bottle!
Application: There are many smells in this world that are so wonderful they are indescribable. Grass after it’s been mown, roast pork cooking in the oven, roses that are fresh on the bush, freshly baked bread.
When the Israelites were going through their worship ceremonies they would burn incense to give off an aroma to the Lord. It made me think, if God created all these things that give off such amazing smells, then he must like a good aroma too.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for all our senses. May we use each of them as an act of worship to you. Amen.
Which of your favourite smells would God love too?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.