Foul Stench

For the past 10 days I smelled an odd, funky odor as I walked from our family room into our kitchen. I assumed the smell would disappear on its own, but instead, it intensified to a disgusting stench, and I literally became a woman on a mission. I checked the cabinet under the sink; I looked behind and under the refrigerator to make sure nothing nasty was living there; I scrubbed the kitchen floor (the water wasn't even dirty); I examined our water dispenser closely, and finally I got a nasty whiff from a decorative rug that resides on the floor between the family room and the kitchen. Immediately, I jerked that rug and its pad off the floor, and I threw them (note, I did not toss them) into the garage. I rechecked the kitchen later in the day, and "Wa-lah," the odor was less intense. By nightfall, the stink was gone! Mission complete!

When my husband arrived home, I shared my mission impossible success story, and I speculated aloud if our granddog Ellie had had an accident on the rug. I continued, "I haven't spilled anything on the rug, so I am really baffled."

Sheepishly he looked at me and said, "I might have spilled something on the rug."

"Might have? Don't you know for sure if you did or you didn't?"

The room got silent, and at that point, I knew for sure that this wonderful man, who had seen me frantic and frenzied in my search for the origin of this horrific, offensive odor was the culprit!!

How much more offended is our LORD at the stench of our sins? His perfect nose is affronted and disgusted by the nauseating stink of our inequities.

Isaiah 3:8-9 speaks of such a parade of sin:

"Jerusalem staggers,

Judah is falling;

their words and deeds are against the LORD,

defying His glorious presence.

The look on their faces testifies against them;

they parade their sin like Sodom;

they do not hide it.

Woe to them!

They have brought disaster upon themselves."

Our blatant parade of words and deeds that are against the LORD defy His glorious presence. They are a putrefication, instead of the sweet perfume He so deserves from us.

I threw out the offensive rug. Acutally I hurled it across the garage, as far from me as I could get it. As I did so, I thought, "I need to hurl my daily sins farther away than my eyes can see. I need to cleanse my life of my daily stench, by bringing my transgressions before the Father."

My loving God initially gathered me in His arms when I smelled the absolute worse. While I was at my all time stinkiness, while I was a loathsome abomination because of my wickedness, He sent His beloved, only Son to die for my sins, (my original stench). He extended His amazing and perfect grace through Jesus Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension, just so I could be reconciled and restored to Him!

May I reverently and with joyous thanksgiving praise Him for removing my foul stench. May I glorify Him and bless Him by confession daily transgressions I have committed in word and deed. May I hurl them farther away from me than I can see by bringing them to my Redeemer and Sustainer!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for removing my original putrid stench when I was corrupt and depraved. Thank you for giving me the privilege and special blessing of bringing my daily inequities to you for cleansing and forgiveness. May my life be a fresh, sweet, pleasing perfume to your perfect nostrils! Amen.