Fragrance Or Smell

A.W. Tozer often wrote and preached that God created the human race to worship Him. We were created to make much of God and little of ourselves. John 3:30 (NKJV)
30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

 Sadly we have reversed that. People live to make much of themselves. Don't believe it? Look at the whole social media craze. People fascinated with themselves trying to get others fascinated too. If men and women spent only a fraction of the time obsessed with their relationship with God that they do on social media a drastic change would take place in the church today.

Like it or not we worship. We just may not give our worship to Yahweh. We may give it to the Dallas Cowboys, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers or Houston Rockets. We may bow at the shrine of some movie star. We give ourselves to the worship of self image through gym memberships, plastic surgery, coloring of hair and diets. We worship work. We worship indeed. That worship is not always directed toward Creator God.

Our lives are always giving off the scent of worship. As that scent ascends heavenward I wonder what God smells. Does He find the pure, enticing fragrance of love, adoration, reverence and praise? Does He get the rancid polluted foul smell of idolatry? He can not only see the difference but He can also smell the difference.

Have you ever smelled burning rubber? A horrible smell. Repulsive. Have you ever smelled potpourri? What do you think would happen if you mixed the smells? I know what would happen. The burning rubber would overpower the sweet fragrance of the potpourri. Is is any different in our lives.

How can public worship be a sweet fragrance before God when the rest of our lives dishonor Him. The smell of wretched living overpowers the singing of praise in public worship. You may not like it but it is still true, our lives are giving off a scent. A fragrance or a polluted smell. Which characterizes you?

Worship is more than singing. IT IS LIVING!  All of life is to be worship before God. Our jobs. Our leisure. Our private devotions. Our prayers. Our service for Him. It is possible to do all of those things and give off a stench rather than a fragrance because the heart and attitude are not right.

If we do not really love Jehovah how can we worship? It all starts right there. We are called to love with all our hearts, soul, mind.

Matthew 22:37 (NKJV)
37  Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

Worship starts with love for Yahweh. It all begins with a loving admiration and adoration for Him. Born out of that love flows true worship and the fragrance of praise. If there is no love there is no true worship. There is not sweet fragrance but a foul odor instead. The outward expressions of worship are a rancid stench in the nostrils of the Almighty if not born out of love and right living.

May we live to worship. To offer our lives as a fragrance and not a stench. That is our reasonable service in response to our redemption.

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.