Week 2 The Fragrance of Love
What does Easter smell like? Close your eyes and think of as many spring fragrances as you can. Did you smell fresh flowers, orange blossoms, rain on the desert or pavement (Petrichor), newly cut grass? Even breezes have a smell. What do you suppose Jesus smelled? What fragrances were at the first Easter? The spices that anointed Jim, perfume, the desert, the flowers in the the garden of Gethsemane, olive oil, the dusty roads, the fresh plowed dirt of a farm, the aroma of a sweaty crowd greeting Jesus on the streets of Jerusalem, the scent of lambs being born, vinegar brought to His lips….What else can you think of? The Bible tells us that we are the fragrance of life! What does this mean to you? (2 Cor. 2:14,15 & Eph. 5:2)
The traditions of Spring cleaning began that first Easter when Christ cleared out the temple (Mt. 21:12,13). In some places this has become known as green Thursday. Houses are scrubbed and cleaned and gardens are planted and some people only eat green food. In England, Palm Sunday is known as Chare Sunday and the altars are cleared for Easter, another predecessor to modern spring cleaning. Green is symbolic of things that are new and fresh. Spring is a good time for us to clean out the things that clutter our hearts and distract our minds as well, so we can be fitting temples for the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 3:16)
The Fragrance of Prayer Offering
- Mon – John 17:1-5
- Tues. John 17:11,12
- Wed. – John 17:17-19
- Thurs. – John 17:20-23
- Friday – John 17:24
- Sat. John 17:25,26
Taste: Fresh fruits and vegetables remind us that it is spring and that life can have a fresh new start. To celebrate this idea you might want to make a rabbit salad or garnish your veggies and green food or go out to eat and order a salad.
Listen: Write an Easter prayer or poem. Read it aloud to someone.
Look: This is the time when many people do their spring cleaning. You might take on such a project. While you are doing this, look for things that you have outgrown or no longer use and give them to a shelter or bless some other outreach organization for distribution. Count your many blessings as you do; many people will go to sleep hungry and outside tonight. One good rule of thumb to decide what to get rid of is this: if you haven’t used it for a year, it must be stored, thrown out or given away. As already hinted above, this is the week to clean out and clean up your life! Start at the front door with cleaning items and bags and boxes labeled and move through each room until you are finished!
Try this with your spiritual house too! My Heart Christ’s Home by Robert Munger is a wonderful booklet on how to practice the presence of the risen Christ every day. Jesus wants to help us clean out the spiritual garbage and excess baggage that keeps us from living light and clean lives. Invite Him in to clean up every area of your life. If He is not Lord of all, He’s not Lord at All! PS Don’t forget the windex! It lets all the “sonshine” in!
Smell: Take a walk in your neighborhood and enjoy the smells of spring – the various blossoms, rain, crisp breezes, fresh soil. While you are on your walk, take note of all the smells and colors God made and Praise Him for them.
Touch: When Mary anointed Jesus with the costly oil of spikenard, some became angry and thought that she had wasted money that could be spent on the poor. Jesus teaches us that we have a responsibility to the poor. Can you think of some ways you can help the poor? Reach out and do one of them this week. Mary’s perfume came in a beautiful alabaster box. Make one yourself and fill it with potpourri and give it to someone you love, like Mary did!
Do: Make some potpourri or a sachet.