Spiritual smell-good

“for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him” 2 Chronicles 2:4

Smells. The best are heavenly, the worst are hellish. The worship of God in ancient Israel included aromas of the most pleasant sort, as Solomon says here. In fact, he came to really know about this stuff. Sheba blessed him with mad spices not long after (2 Chron 9:9).

The temple smelled delicious all the time. Why? What did it mean? It meant that the worship rising from that place was pleasing to God. Our assemblies are now cloudless. Apart from scented smoke machines for the seeker sensitives, the incense has passed away. But our gatherings do bear the pleasing aroma of worship. Especially prayer: “golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev 5:8).

Our prayers are sweet to God. Doesn’t that make you want to pray? Prayer works a wonderful fragrance into our whole lives. A prayerless life is a stench to both God and men, and is not easily masked. The Way is open. Go now and pour your heart out before him who cares for you.