Sense of smell is an amazing part of our body. When I think about how powerful our sense of smell is I think of one of the world’s most respected pets, the canine.
Have you ever owned a dog? A dog’s nose is an essential part of its being and It is remarkable the story it can tell. It can tell if you’re far away or close by. It can tell where you’ve been and with whom you’ve been with. It can tell if you’re happy or sad, angry or annoyed just by the scents that you give off. If you bring home a friend, your dog’s nose has already met your friend, because it picked up their scent from day one. Your dog also knows if you’ve had a happy relationship or a hostile one because of the scents you give off. And it can associate what your feelings are towards your friend. Therefore, upon physically meeting your friend, your dog already knows if it’ll be wagging its tail or growling at them.
Similar with a baby, ever wonder why some baby’s cry when some people hold them and not on others. There are tons of factors of why babies cry and why they are comfy on some folks and not on others, and it’s way more complicated than a canine. But there are some similarities that ring true.
Sometimes its not that the person doesn’t have a good spirit or isn’t nice or doesn’t know how to hold a baby, sometimes it’s the mere fact that there is an unfamiliar person holding the baby, that makes the them uneasy because they don’t smell their mother or father. They’re probably wondering, why are you putting me here if you haven’t been here yourself (meaning you haven’t embraced the person, or been close enough to the person to leave your scent and carry theirs).
[Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.” Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him. “Are you really my son Esau?” he asked. “I am,” he replied. Then he said, “My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.” Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.” So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.” Genesis 27:21-27 NIV
Isaac used 4 of his senses in the absence of his sight in order to determine who was in his presence. First he listened and when his hearing deceived him, he touched and when his touch left him unsure, he tasted, and still not being fully convinced, he smelled. It was his nose that brought him comfort. Why? Because it brought him not just the present moment but a story of the relationship of his son Esau and his travels through the field of his occupation. Once Jacob had this assurance that despite what he heard, Esau was before him, he immediately gave his blessing.
[Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood…” Genesis 8:20-21 NIV
“Follow Godʼs example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV
Oh how important our scent is to God. It is the sacrifice of our sin that carries a distinct smell which tells the story of Christ’s fragrant offering on our behalf. “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:15 NIV
G.M.
G.M. Sunshine 