Fragrances

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C, Canada | Category: General | Jan 1986

During the early morning hours of darkness, when the rest of the populace is asleep, skilful workers invade the rose gardens of an eastern European country and silently collect rose petals. The time for the plucking of these petals is carefully chosen for it is at these hours that the rose fragrance is at its peak. This is important to the task of preparing the world renowned attar of roses.

Christians who have known sorrow and suffering might appreciate this illustration, and draw comfort from God's purpose in so dealing with them. Sorrow, persecution and sickness, have caused some to speak of the forbidding clouds of darkness hanging over their lives; others describe their experience as feeling the pressure of the hand of God in their lives. The blessing for them and for us is to remember that a loving, all-wise God is endeavouring through it all to cause a fragrance to be emitted which will glorify and commend Christ.

It would not be fanciful for the Christian to think of himself as a rose. Some Bible teachers believe that "I am a rose of Sharon" (Song of Songs 2:1) does not speak typically of the Lord Jesus as the Beloved, but rather of the disciple who is in communion with Him. If this is so, then one might see a little more clearly the divine link between the hours of darkness, distress, pain, rejection, and the fragrance of Christ being developed in our lives in a deep, strong way. Some of our choicest hymns and spiritual writings have come from those who have known the pressing, even the crushing of the divine Hand, resulting in words which seem to come from a pen dipped in divine fragrance. Frances Ridley Havergal was called home to glory in middle life, and her last years were no bed of roses. Yet from a weak, distressed, frail body came fragrant thoughts of Christ which still encourage and strengthen innumerable Christian lives. A lifelong handicap of blindness proved no restraint to Fanny Crosby, whose hymns bring joy, peace, and blessed assurance to countless souls. It was after the doctor had revealed to him that he had an incurable illness that Francis Henry Lyte wrote "Abide with me", a precious hymn of great solace to those undergoing the pressure of grief and stress. It seems that the only way the rose can yield its fragrant oil is by the crushing of the petals.

A town in England became noted for its perfume factory. Visitors were impressed during their noonday shopping by the pleasant fragrance which

permeated, not only the air, but also the business establishments. Did this come directly from the processing source? No, it came from the girls whose work was to handle the fragrance. Their clothes and skin appear to become impregnated so that their presence in the market-place creates an odour of a sweet smell. And it is worth remembering that there are Christians who live spiritual lives like this. A dear, aged friend said to me after her husband had died, "He was the most Christlike person I ever knew. All our married life he never once spoke an unkind word to me - They were together for over 60 years. Christlike is the keyword. It bespeaks fragrance.

Aaron and his sons, after they had been anointed with the holy anointing oil, give us a typical picture. Wherever they went this fragrance identified them as men associated with the house of God. The Tabernacle was also graced with this divine odour, for all its contents were anointed with the same oil, setting forth the truth of sanctification of the priestly family and God's house (Exodus 30:22-33). Sanctification enriches our lives with the fragrance of Christ.

There was no life on earth as fragrant as that of the Son of God. His love, grace, mercy, kindness, were blended with all His other virtues, causing a glorious, incomparable fragrance to be emitted which delighted the heart of God, and emphasized His uniqueness to men. It is when we manifest those same divine virtues through the new man by the Spirit, that others will know us as disciples of Christ who are a holy and royal priesthood in association with God's house today. "And ye have an anointing from the Holy One ... but as his anointing teacheth you... ye abide in Him" (1 John 2:20,27).

"Christian" may have been a nickname given by unsaved people to the early disciples, but it also has the serious connotations of being like our Master --fragrant!

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C, Canada | Jan 1986
General