It caught my attention, repeatedly. Although according to a quick internet search, I would only have heard the term “a pleasing aroma” 17 times as I listened to the book of Leviticus, the term continued to linger in my mind like I’d heard it in every paragraph. There was something beautiful, satisfying, and pleasant….and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
The Apostle Paul used the same term in his admonition to the believers of Jesus in Ephesus…
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.
He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Ephesians 5:2
No wonder the term sounded so appealing! It was literally the fragrance that enveloped the Father when a special gift, a holy sacrifice, was offered to Him – whether by the Jewish people or by His only Son.
It’s wonderful to walk into a room and smell an aroma that pleases us. Whether it’s the relaxing scent of lavender wafting through a room, the delightful trace of your favorite person’s perfume or cologne, or the first comforting whiff of your grandmother’s apple pie, it just makes us smile.
Sacrifices that are pure in heart are offered directly to the God of the universe. They are transactions at an altar between the offeror and the Lord Himself. They are appeasing and soothing to Him and bring His blessing.
It’s not often when I read or listen to the book of Leviticus that it gets my attention. But it should. Every jot and every tittle are for a purpose. Every word and every phrase by Divine inspiration.
A pleasing aroma.
Is that what my interactions are like to the sheep in my life?
Is that what I offer to The Good Shepherd?
