Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Whenever I smell a freshly cut Christmas tree it immediately takes me back to my childhood-- picking out a tree and decorating it together at home. We have the same custom with my wife and kids today. We also have a diffuser with fragrant oils that fill our home. One of my favorites is frankincense.
ADVENT ADVENTURES: SMELLS OF THE SEASON
Over two thousand years ago, the Magi loaded their camels with their packs, supplies, and treasures and began their journey west to Jerusalem. Think of the excitement and preparation for that trip! The Gospel of Matthew records this for us saying, "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him' ... And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:1-2, 11).
These wise men had studied and known about the Hebrew Jehovah God and His promised Son, the Messiah and Savior King. That's why they had made those Advent preparations for His coming and traveled that great distance. As they said, "We have come to worship Him." They brought gifts of thanks and praise to their Lord and King; gifts of costly gold, gifts of myrrh, an aloe plant that promotes healing, and gifts of frankincense, that wonderfully therapeutic and relaxing incense. Portable and valuable gifts, no doubt, that God in His divine wisdom had arranged to help Joseph and Mary when they fled with baby Jesus to Egypt while Herod tried to slaughter the Child (Matthew 2).
The smells of the season of Advent and Christmas take us back to the history of the birth of our Savior. They take us back to times in our own past when we prepared and traveled to worship Christ our King as we still do today. The smells of the season remind us of the sweet smelling aroma that Jesus would bring in His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of world, including yours and mine. What greater gift could we be given from our Lord God? What gifts could we possibly give that equal our thanksgiving for His love?
As we smell the familiar smells of the season, remember, rejoice, and remind others of the sweet smelling comfort of peace we have in preparing to worship He who came for us, our promised Messiah-- Jesus (the Christ). 