Spring Break Tears and the Scent of Heaven

Spring Break of ’73 came with mixed emotions. Excitement – because our touring music group was going to visit Mount Vernon and the Atlantic coastline and have time in New York City …

but also – please pass a Kleenex – heartbreaking tears because it would seem like a FOREVER separation from a certain tall, blonde basketball player.

To ease the pain of separation, my then-boyfriend-now-husband gave me a stuffed red pig to take in the van. And he sprayed it with Brut after shave. A lot of Brut. I loved the red pig – I loved the smell of Brut. But, understandably the other young women in the group were, … well, less than enthusiastic.

Even though “Brut” was a great pillow this looks like his intense scent asphyxiated the lot of us!

Just as the fragrance of that red pig reminded me of my heart throb, other smells evoke sharp emotions. My blooming gardenia bush makes my mother seem close by and fresh air through pine trees transports me back to childhood camp sites. Maybe you have some scents that do that for you?

Not that I love all perfumed substances. Sometimes in a crowded room I get a sudden stabbing headache because of the cross pollination of too many perfume fragrances is disproportionate to the fresh air. I’m kind of a fan of one single fragrance at a time.

Those of us who are familiar with the Old Testament know that the word picture of fragrance is used repetitively.  When the Old Testament sacrifices were brought with a repentant heart, the drifting smoke was a sweet smelling savor to God and the offering was accepted as a covering for sin.

Then Jesus gave himself up to die for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2) His selfless sacrifice wafted up to Heaven as a sweet smelling savor to replace the endless smoke from the daily animals burning on temple altars. A better sacrifice.

When Jesus died as the sacrifice to end all sacrifices His battered body was taken and wrapped in spices for burial. The kind of spices – and how much was brought – wonderfully fulfills ancient prophecies and gives us a clear reminder that His death rose as a sweet aroma before Heaven’s throne. When that final sacrifice was made and the scent of the burial spices wafted upward to the Father the sacrificial system was no longer necessary.

Justice was satisfied and mercy fulfilled. Heaven was filled with the sweet fragrance of forgiveness.

The aroma of reconciliation with our Creator God wafted in the air forever.

Listen to “How Wonderful Thou Art” here.

As I am preparing to go to a college reunion to reminisce with those who endured the overwhelming smell of Brut for those long miles in the Spring Break van, I am pondering 2 Corinthians 2:14-16.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

And I’m asking myself, am I …

… a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

• When I leave a place, does a little scent of Heaven waft behind me?
• Do those that remain after me  have a sense of mercy in the air?
• Do they linger in reminders that they are valued and loved?
• Do they have fresh hope and renewed courage?
• Do they long for Heaven?

Maybe those sudden stabbing headaches are a good reminder to me to avoid the cross pollination of too many fragrances and bear a single scent – the fragrance of Heaven.

And just for fun – here’s another one of our songs…