OUR DAILY BREAD : SWEET FRAGRANCE

[cimi]

March 18
Tuesday


SWEET
FRAGRANCE

READ:
2 Corinthians 2:12-17
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Some scents are unforgettable. Recently, my husband mentioned he was running low on shaving cream.
"I'll pick some up," I offered. "Can you get this kind?" he asked, showing me the can. "I love the smell__it's the kind my dad always used." I smiled, recalling the time I had been momentarily taken back to my childhood when I got a whiff of the same shampoo my mom used to wash my hair. For both Tom and me, the fragrances had brought an emotional response and pleasant memory of people we loved who were no longer around.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "Memories, imagination, old sentiments, and associations are more readily reached through the sense of smell than through any other channel."

So, what if our lives were a fragrance that attracted people to God? Second Corinthians 2:15 says that "we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." Our fragrance is pleasing to God, but it also attracts others to Him or repels them. We who understand the sacrifice of Jesus have the opportunity to be the "fragrance of Christ" __a reminder of Him__to others.
The sweet scent of the likeness of Christ can be an irresistible pull toward the Savior.
__Cindy Hess Kasper

```````````````````````````Let my hands perform His bidding,````````````````````
`````````````````````````````Let my feet run in His ways,```````````````````````
`````````````````````````````Let my eyes see Jesus only,```````````````````````
`````````````````````Let my lips speak forth His praise. __James`````````````````
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When we walk with God, we leave behind
a sweet fragrance that can inspire others to follow.

**********************************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Corinthians 2:12-17*******************************
12 Furthermore, when I
came to Troas to preach
Christ's gospel, and a door
was opened to me by the
Lord, 13 I had no rest in my
spirit, because I did not find
Titus my brother; but taking
my leave of them, I
departed for Macedonia.

14 Now thanks be to God
who always leads us in
triumph in Christ, and
through us diffuses the
fragrance of His knowledge
in every place. 15 For we are
to God the fragrance of
Christ among those who are
being saved and among
those who are perishing.

16 To the one we are the
aroma of death leading to
death, and to the other the
aroma of life leading to life.
And who is sufficient for
these things? 17 For we are
not, as so many, peddling
the word of God; but as of
sincerity, but as from God,
we speak in the sight of
God in Christ.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
In today's reading, we see a dramatic picture of Christ as victor.
In the world of ancient Rome, a conquering general would be
rewarded with a "triumph," a celebrative victory parade. The
conquered enemies subjugated as slaves would often follow the
procession. Paul used this event familiar to his audience to represent
Jesus Christ as the triumphant hero. Considering himself a slave of
Christ (Phil. 1:1), Paul thought it an honor and a joy to have been
conquered by the Lord he now loved and served. Often during a
triumphal parade, the temple doors were thrown open and the
fragrance of garlands and incense flooded the parade procession
with the sweet aroma of victory. Certainly, the gospel has a sweet
spiritual aroma for those who believe.