Live as a sweet aroma

Now the Lord called to Moses,
and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying,
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them:
‘When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord....
And here...
a list of very specific details follows.
All the things which must be done, just so, and in order
beginning with he who is bringing the offering...
​including the killing of the animal brought for burnt sacrifice.
And then the priest is given charge...
to sprinkle it's blood on the altar
​to prepare the animal for offering,
and to assure each step is followed,
...and the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice,
an offering made by fire,
a sweet aroma to the Lord.
Leviticus 1:1-2,13

Repeatedly this phrase is used in Old Testament scripture...
and offering is made...
a sweet aroma to the Lord.
​in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers,
ever referring to sacrifice,
of an offering to the Lord.

And during this time of the Law,
sacrifice was needed
for the blood covering and forgiveness of sin.

And then interestingly,
we find it again in the New Testament.
Only this time, it refers to a new sacrifice...
this one made once, for all.

And this verse directed not to the children of Israel,
but rather to us...
the followers of Jesus.

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 and a sacrifice to God
for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV)

I am ever amazed at the Word of God.
How it is written by many hands...
and one Voice.
How it begs a question...
a need to be filled.
And God satisfies it before the end.

Jesus...
the perfect and final sacrifice.
No more rituals of marching animals off to the tabernacle,
killing, blood letting, and burning them.
Even as a sweet aroma,
even as an offering of obedience.
It was a measure in the middle...
a fix for sin to prove that we would never be able
to keep the law... to live without sin.
And now, God no longer requires it.
We can no longer DO anything to earn forgiveness.

Jesus DID it all.
The only part we have in it...
is to receive it by faith, through grace.

And out of our gratitude...
He asks that we walk in love as Jesus did.
That we not see ourselves as always first,
but humbly sacrifice our will, our rights...
our want-to,
and serve others.

If we will humble ourselves to sacrificially serve Jesus with our lives...
that will be a sweet-smelling aroma
rising up to heaven
to please our God and King.

Word of God... train me, today...
to be thankful that I live in this era of grace,
to be humble and offer myself and a living sacrifice to You.

Lord, by Your mercy,
help me to present my body a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to You, 
which is my reasonable service.
Help me not to be conformed to this world,
but transform my mind...
renew it daily with Your Word,
that I may prove
Your good, acceptable, and perfect will for my life.

Lord, help me
​not to think more highly of myself than I ought to,
but to think soberly,
as You have dealt me my own measure of faith.
(adapted from Romans 12:1-3)