Numbers 27-30

The burning meat on the altar of sacrifice was a sweet fragrance to God. Despite the stench of blood and guts, the smell of lamb or beef cooking over an open fire was pleasing to God. That mouth-watering aroma covered the ugliness of the dead animal used in the sacrifice.

We talked about this in Sunday School this past Sunday. As we read the Old Testament account of the required sacrifices, most if not all of us, have trouble getting over all that blood! And the feces, drying blood, the smell of death grosses me out! It did many of us in that room.

But Scripture tells us the smell of the sacrifice pleased God. And actually, I think it pleased everyone in Jerusalem as that smell permeated the air. Who doesn’t like the aroma of a barbecue? Makes your mouth water.

Our worship of God, offered with clean hearts and in humility is that same sweet fragrance to God. The stink of sin is covered with the unmistakable smell of devotion, surrender, complete trust, and repentance. God tells us He loves that smell!

So as you worship God today in your home, driving in your car, or this weekend standing with your church family, check your smell. Is your worship of God pure and offered according to His rules? Or are you trying to slip a bit of feces into your offering by holding onto a sin He has revealed to you?

I pray each of us will offer God our sacrifice of worship, with complete submission. May we bow to Him who demands to be worshiped, in such a way that our worship becomes a sweet aroma, pleasing to Him who deserves to be worshiped.

May we make God’s mouth water every day with our devotion and our worship.