15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ~ 2 Corinthians 2:15NIV
The other night we were out walking, and we passed by a stagnant creek. The water was beginning to smell. It was a disgusting scent that we eagerly wanted to get away from, then all of a sudden Celia had a Jesus moment. The thought came to her that when we are stagnant before God, what is He smelling? Is He smelling a stench?
When we are walking around stagnant, what kind of aroma is reaching God’s nostrils? What kind of stench are we giving off when we are in sin or rebellion? When we are operating in perversion, what kind of stench is rising up to God?
The stagnant stench from the lack of action filled faith is like the river that is stagnant and can be smelled from so far away. The river is no longer living water, it has no life in it. That is what happens when the Spirit no longer operates in us.
In other words, when there is no action to our faith, then we become like that stagnant creek that gave off that awful stench. And if we are giving off a bad stench because of dead works, then it is no longer a sweet aroma but a foul stench in God’s nostrils.
LORD God, help us to never become stagnant before You. Help us to live our lives with action filled faith. Let our faith not just be contained to empty words and empty prayers, but let us act out in faith. In the name of Jesus, we pray, amen.