Morning exercise at sunrise. Walking at a fast clip, tuned in to a podcast. Suddenly, there it is. Fragrance.
Distinct. Sweet. I don’t even have to look.
Honeysuckle.
Stopping, I turn and see. Down the the slope. A riot of honeysuckle blooms. Taking over the thicket.
Fragrance memory
Memories flood in. From childhood.
Mountain hikes in tropical forests. An abundance of plants, trees, and vines. Connected, intertwined. Green and thriving in Java’s rich volcanic soil.
Along the worn and traveled path, orange honeysuckle grows wild.
Someone teaches me how to pick a bloom. Stick my tongue on the end. And taste the sweetness. Simple childhood pleasure.
Such small, delicate blossoms. With power to stop me in my tracks. Their fragrance permeating the air and turning heads.
Life and death
To God, we are the fragrance of Christ. The sweet aroma of His sacrifice. Spreading to those around us. [2 Corinthians 2:14-17]
For believers it’s the smell of life. The hope of salvation. And the fellowship we have in common. Of denying self, taking up the cross daily. Following our Savior.
For others, the same aroma smells like death. Affirming their unbelief. Resistance to the message. They move on down the path. Without the certain hope. Of eternity with Him.
Remain in the vine
The breeze blows. Morning sun filters through the trees. And rests in moving patterns on the thicket of vines.
I touch the petals. Consider, why the delicate beauty? Why the rich fragrance?
It’s not produced by any effort of honeysuckle flowers themselves. They can do nothing on their own. They simply remain in the vine.
Receiving nourishment. Growing as honeysuckle grows. And bearing fruit.
The blossoms open and release a scent. Stopping us in our tracks. Turning heads.
And we take a look. At these ordinary flowers. Glorifying our Creator with sweet aroma.
What about you?
Do you remember the day the fragrance of life stopped you in your tracks? And drew you to the Savior? Who did God use to catch your attention?
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18 replies on “Fragrance”
This leads me to think how He must be pleased when I am a sweet aroma displaying Him! I want to do that more. Thanks for taking me there! love!
Yes! Thanks for sharing, sister.
Lovely!
Thank you, Marge. Grace to you.
The smell of life to some and the smell of death to others – why do I wonder why people react so strongly? Something to consider!
It surely is. Thanks for sharing, friend.
Praying my fragrance smells of the savior to those I meet and help.
Amen. Praying for you, sister!
Sweet thoughts, Susan, as I begin a new week. Thanks.
Thank you, Bettie. He is faithful.
Susan, I, too, remember first learning how to gather the sweet taste that goes with that lovely scent. Thinking on the fragility of the petals really causes me to pause. Petals pulled from the vine soon lose their scent and beauty. And you’re exactly right – the blossoms do nothing on their own, but only because they are connected directly to the Vine. I, too, pray the scent resulting from my walk with Him will grow so that others pause and are drawn to Him. When I feel inadequate, I will remember these sweet petals.
Thank you for pointing out that those pulled off the vine quickly lose their scent and beauty. The Lord gives us many lessons in His creation.
Loved remembering getting the sweet taste….way back in childhood..and still if there is honeysuckle about. What a difference good smells can make in our lives. And good-smelling lives..better still.
Good-smelling lives—that’s what I’m talking about 😁😁
The essence and tang of a collection of used books did it for me: Philip Yancey planted; Tim Keller watered and God gave the growth. The privilege and beauty of just being and in our very lives flows through all of our senses and not just in and out of our nostrils and over our tongues. And such things are a testimony to “what can be known about God is plain to all of us because God has shown it to us” (Romans 1). How important is that? Well you don’t have to know a whit about science to know that creation is the order of the day. And that evolution and other similar theories are no more than juvenile fairy tales and the stuff of fantasy.
It is a joy to hear how the Lord draws people to Himself. Thank you for sharing your story of coming to faith…that started with a collection of used books, no less. Great is His faithfulness.
I pray that I, “smell good” to our Father!
You’ve been His fragrance to “the least of these,” those forgotten by their society. It is a sweet aroma to our Father, I am sure!