Grief

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Sometimes the news comes quick. Sometimes the news comes slow. No matter how or when it comes, grief travels in the wake of the news. Grief is heavy, weighty, a burden, especially when it involves someone deeply loved. Grief is not meant to be carried alone. It’s too heavy and may last a while—and that’s ok. That’s what family and friends are for, to share the load. Jesus stood outside the tomb of his friend and wept but He did not weep alone. It was a deep, human moment. “ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted ” (Matt 5:4). If anyone knows how we feel in grief, it’s Him. But His grief did not linger long, as at the mention of his name, Lazarus came forth. We are not meant to dwell in grief, but should leave room enough for it. Let it run its course. Like the song says, “ Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain .” Another song says, “ The storm We will dance as it breaks The storm It will give as it takes And all of our pain is washed away Don't cry or be afraid Some things...

Diffusing Fragrance

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“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. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.” (2 Cor 2:14-16)

Christ is building His church, a feature not to be kept hidden in a personal showroom but always on display, a demonstration of yet another great thing He has done. Triumph cannot be contained--it must be spread. Notice the text, saying: “God . . . through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.”

Interesting that the triumph of Christ is described in the context of the five senses, specifically, the sense of smell. Smell is the way we tell people apart. You can tell a clean person from an unclean person by smell. Anything fresh, clean is appealing, has a good smell while others bear smells that bring about unquestionable avoidance.

The smell of Christ’s triumph is like death to those who are perishing and life to those who are being saved.  A while back I gave some gospels tracts to men gathered around the back of a pick-up truck outside a grocery store one evening. When they began to hear the gospel, I was strongly encouraged to carry on with my business, so found my way into the store. Ten minutes later, one of those men found me in the dairy section because he wanted to talk about the gospel.

You do smell, don't you? Make certain you smell; that is, spread the fragrance of God all around.  

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