Wake up and Smell the Coffee

It's hard to focus your day when you're rushing to get ready, rushing out the door, rushing to the car, rushing to work, rushing to your desk, rushing to sign on (or clock in). Trying to be on time and be prepared, etc.

As a Christian and a child of God, it is important to focus your day by meditating on the Lord. Why should we neglect the greatest person in our lives? Why would we want to? This world is full of sin, temptations, evil. It is hard enough by ourselves, but Satan is out and about, also. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter instructs us "to be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Why would we want to rush into our day without talking to God, first and foremost? But, I'll tell you what gets me up and going...prayer and coffee!

I love the smell of coffee. I love walking down the coffee aisle in the grocery store. The aroma tingles something inside of me and I can't help but smile. I hate to rush into my day without a fresh cup of coffee. What a great thing to wake up to the pleasant smell of coffee brewing in the morning. When I smell fresh coffee in the morning, even if I'm dead asleep, it's that smell that draws me like a cartoon with an extended animated arm of eye-opening aroma that tickles my nostrils and brings me to full attention.

The apostle Paul writes about the presence of Jesus Christ in the Christian's life as smelling a wonderful aroma that makes you hunger, makes you thirst for the source of that aroma.

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ,
and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? -2 Corinthians 2:14-16

We aren't the only ones smelling it! Notice that this is a sweet savour that God loves. Through us, He spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself
for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. -Ephesians 5:2

Sweet smelling! When I think of sweet smells, the first thing that pops in my mind are flowers. He said, "I AM the Rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." (Song of Solomon 2:1) Do people see Jesus in you? Is the evidence of Jesus in you, the changes in your life and attitude, your delight in the Lord, are they like the smell of Jesus to them?

I have heard, "You are the only Bible that some people will ever read." And how true that is. You are a walking, living testimony. Just like all odors, their are good testimonies and then their are bad testimonies. What do people see in you?

You can ruin your testimony, also. You can mask that once sweet smell from the rest of the world. There was a mechanic who was superb in all his mechanic-ery. He worked on car after car, resolving each problem, removing each knock, silencing each ping. But one day, after just a simple tune up, in all his haste he left the oil plug out of a car. And when the driver drove off without any oil in the car, the engine eventually locked down. Do you know what he was known for from that day hence? Not the mechanic who resolved every problem. Not the mechanic who removed each knock and ping. He was known as the mechanic that left the oil plug out of a car. His once sweet smell became a foul odor. You are a living, breathing testimony everyone sees, good or bad.

Be conscious of how you smell. Paul instructs us to put on Christ. As God smells Christ in us we are better than coffee to Him.