The Fragrance of Worship

This is a repost from a blog I did back in November 2008 The fragrance of worship I have to admit the corporate worship experience this morning was not my most favorite style. But, when asked the question "Did God meet you here?" I had to answer yes, He did. But not in the way I expected. When we entered the worship center this morning, we were greeted with the scent of pumpkin spice....scented oil had been melting all morning and had filled the room with a warm and welcoming fragrance. I thought it was a nice touch, though a bit strong, and went on to try to open my heart to the whole experience this morning. The service was nice, and heartfelt, and the pastor preached the Word with care...but it was not until this afternoon that the actual lesson begin to dawn upon me. You see, the fragrance of the service was still lingering around me, literally. All afternoon I have caught whiffs of pumpkin spice. The slight burning sensation in my nose has lingered all day. The fragrance of the oil has permeated my clothing and my hair, so that all day I have caught the fragrance of our worship this morning. Bringing my mind back to that place and remembering different aspects of the service. And I begin to think...is that not what the affect of true worship is or should be? Shouldn't our worship of God leave us with a fragrance, not literally, but in our souls and minds, so that all day long we remember parts of our time with him? Lessons learned, prayers prayed, songs sung, confessions made and promises remembered? And, should that fragrance not be noticeable to others around us? Shouldn't our worship of God and our being in his presence leave a fragrance of sorts on our lives, such that others around us catch a whiff of the Savior and want to come near and find out more about him? Shouldn't it be obvious to others and to us, that we have been in the presence of the king and shouldn't that linger around us all day long, as we walk in continued worship of him? I wonder about the priest of old, after a day of making sacrifices at the temple. Did their hair and beards not carry the fragrance of the offerings they had brought before the Lord? Did their hands not still carry the fragrance of an offering of oil poured out or their clothing carry the very blood of the lambs that had been killed? Did they think of their work that day in the temple each time they caught a whiff of the smoke, or fragrance of the oil or see the spattered blood? Did their noses sting with the smoke of offerings and incense? And did they remember the prayers they had offered and confessions they had made and promises they had remembered, as they worshiped God? Shouldn't our lives be the same? We don't need priest to offer our sacrifices to the Lord. We do it ourselves now, and we don't offer oil or animals, but our very lives as living sacrifices to the King of Kings? and shouldn't our lives be lived such that the very fragrance of Christ wafts around us and permeates our being and makes others watch in wonder and want to know Him too? All the while, reminding us of our time spent with Him and make us desire Him even more? So, did God meet me this morning? Yes, and in a very literal way...and the fragrance of that worship has stayed with me all day.