Campfire

Posted on by roadcrew403

Christians, have you ever enjoyed a campfire?  Sitting around the crackling logs, cooking s’mores, roasting hotdogs, and telling stories.  Maybe you crowd in close for warmth on cool fall nights, or on hot summer nights so the bugs don’t get you.  However you enjoy the many aspects of a good campfire, the one thing guaranteed, if you have been around it and partaken in the festivities, you will come away smelling like smoke.  

I remember a time last spring, I was grabbing a hat before I headed out to do some work and I caught a strong smell of smoke off of it and I remembered I had worn that hat the last time we had a fire.  The time had passed, but the aroma from the fire was still strong.  I was reminded of this when I heard teaching on being in God’s presence and when we spend time with Him, we come away carrying His aroma with us.  The same way if someone caught a whiff of my hat, they could deduce that I had been around a fire, people who catch a whiff of us spiritually should deduce that we are Christ followers and have been in His presence.

Reading the Word of God, going to Church, attending conferences, praying, praising, fasting, and serving are all ways we can spend time in God’s presence, if done with the right heart.  We can leave meetings, events, or times of prayer heavily laden with the aroma of heaven on us and it can affect the people around us.  Sometimes you will have reactions from people, just because you carry heaven’s aroma with you.  As Christians, we should strive to be ambassadors for Christ everywhere we go, just by the presence we carry with us.  We should bring calmness, peace, hope, love, kindness, gentleness, and goodness into every interaction we have with people.  

There are some people that hate the smell of fire, they would avoid campfires at all cost.  In the same way, there are those that are perishing that find our aroma from heaven a stench.  These people will be evident as they can dislike you for no apparent reason and be repulsed by the very presence of Christians.  On the other hand, there are people who are hungry for the things of God and we are a sweet aroma to them.  We represent light and life and hope when we carry the fragrance of heaven wherever we go.

The closer we are to God as Christians, the heavier our aroma will be.  We should all strive to draw close and linger a little longer in His presence.  Much like the fun activities surrounding a campfire, there are many benefits in the presence of God. Everything we do, everything we are, should be done with the love of Christ which pleases God and is acceptable to Him.

Father God, we thank you for your presence, we thank you for your love.  We pray that as we spend time with you, that we would carry with us your aroma, your scent to the lost and hurting around us.  May we be a sweet smelling offering that allows us to draw people unto you.  We ask that you would increase our desire to dwell in your presence and to be your ambassadors on this earth, for our good and for Your glory in Jesus Name, Amen.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.  For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? II Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV)  

You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalm 16:11 (NASB)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27 (NIV)

At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. Philippians 4:18 (NLT)

I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to your altar, O Lord, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your wonders. I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells.  Psalm 26:6-8 (NLT)

written and posted by Daniel Poggensee | 2024