Aromatic Worship

Genesis 35:14
14 Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. Then he poured wine over it as an offering to God and anointed the pillar with olive oil.

I offer God so little. A few minutes of prayer, quick devotion or time in Scripture, a tithe, financial offerings. But the Old Testament is filled with gifts of animal sacrifice (as required in the Old Testament), incense, oil, and here of Jacob offering wine. Think of the aromas of these sacrifices: olive oil and herbs, sweet wine, even the smell of the sacrificial fires. I think this gives us insight into God and what makes Him smile.

I found a sermon online that had this to say about offerings:
So, I ask the question, what kind of offerings does God want? What kinds of offerings does God desire? What kind of offerings does the true God, who created the heavens and the earth, the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the true God who raised Jesus from the dead, what kind of offerings does this true God want from you and me?


That is what today’s Scripture is all about. The Apostle Paul writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is spiritual worship.”


I don't know exactly what role this variety of offerings should play in my worship of the Lord, but I think I'm missing the mark when they aren't diverse, aren't aromatic, or become so routine that they cease to be a time of special worship between me and my Lord.

1 comments:

Brandy said...

Oh, I like that sermon.