Jun 08 – A Pleasing Aroma!

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:2–3)

As children of God, we are called to be a sweet fragrance unto Christ. Scripture speaks of various spiritual “fragrances” we are to release before God and to the world. One of the most important among them is the fear of the Lord.

The Bible clearly says that the fear of the Lord is a delightful aroma to Him. When a person fears God, it leads him into holiness.

When a man realizes, “My Master sees me. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows even my thoughts and imaginations from afar,” that awareness keeps him from sin and evil.

In Joseph’s life, we see the fear of the Lord at work. When his master’s wife tried to lure him into sin, Joseph said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9).

It was the fear of God that gave him the strength to run away from sin. He didn’t care if he lost his job, his clothing, or even if he were to put in prison; but his only priority was to preserve his purity. Because of that, God exalted Joseph and made him a great leader in Egypt.

Why do many today fall into sin so boldly? The root reason is a lack of the fear of God. They freely accuse and attack one another because they do not fear God. Without any hesitation, they run to the courts of law, to hire lawyers, and even to lie under oath—because there is no fear of God in their hearts.

The Scripture says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7). True wisdom begins with godly fear. It is the holy reverence that produces purity and obedience.

Yes, the Lord is loving, like a tender Father. He comforts us like a mother. But He is also holy and just. He expects us to serve Him with reverence. That’s why the psalmist said: “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” (Psalm 2:11)

The fear of the Lord is a distinct and sacred. The one who walks in it becomes a delightful aroma to God, and blessings, goodness, and honour will surely follow him.

Verse for further meditation: “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” (Psalm 19:9)