“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” (Eph. 5:1-2)
Have you ever walked into a home where someone has been baking all day? Or think about Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Maybe barbque on a summer afternoon. What does it smell like? It’s a sweet smelling aroma. It’s like home. It’s like mom and dad. It’s like grandma’s house. It smells like joy and peace and friends and family.
But you know what goes into a moment like that? Lots of sacrifice. Somebody has been in that kitchen all day. Somebody has thought through the menu, purchased the ingredients, prepared ahead of time.
God says that He loves that kind of hospitality, that kind of love, that kind of sacrifice because it reminds Him of the greatest act of love in the history of the world, the sacrifice of His own beloved Son on the cross for the sins of the world. But when Jesus went to the cross, the dinner guests were not very impressed. The world mocked Him, called Him names, accused Him of being arrogant and revolutionary. Others tried their best to ignore Him. And meanwhile, God was preparing a feast for the world. Never mind the embarrassed looks. Never mind the unappreciative comments. Never mind the plot to destroy this, God smells what’s cooking and it’s a sweet smelling aroma.
And that’s what this meal means. It means that sacrifice is sweet. It means that love in the little things that go unnoticed is a glorious aroma to God. Do you feel unnoticed? Do you feel that nobody cares what you do? Are you afraid that your sacrifice will mean nothing? Take this bread and remember Christ’s sacrifice for you. Drink this wine and remember Christ’s shed blood for you. And remember that since God was planning this feast for you some 2000 years ago, nothing goes unnoticed, nothing goes to waste. God is preparing a feast, and by His love, your love is being taken up into the wonderful aroma of His grace.
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