What's That Smell?

Of course, Mr. Bill knows I hate it when he says, “smells like something’s burning.”  How I hate that!  Okay, so I’ve been known to burn a few things now and then. Who hasn’t!  Well, he hasn’t … he never cooks! :)

 

We do not know what kind of cook Noah was but he burned something very pleasing to God! “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, ‘I will never again curse the ground on account of man …’ “ (Genesis 8:20-21)  Consider the troubles Noah had just experienced: for a very long time, he was cooped up with two of every kind of animal as well as all his family members on [what surely must have been] one hot & humid ride!  Think about the haunting sounds he heard of dying men, women, and children outside the ark as the waters overtook the earth. Then the first thing he does outside the ark, after a big breath of fresh air, is worship.  On my best day, it seems I struggle to slightly grasp the measure of God’s goodness and lovingkindness then at first sign of ill-winds, I’m well … not worshipping. Read again God’s response to Noah’s worship: “ … I will never again curse the ground on account of man … and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (V.21-22) Noah lived through extraordinary circumstances (as do we) yet he praised God all the same! I sure do want God to smell something good from my life, don’t you?