And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him (Romans 12:1-New Living Translation).
How can our worship become the fragrance of God? Think of the purpose of salt, that crystalline compound in our seawater used to season and preserve our foods.
A few years ago, one of my pastors, Pastor J.B. Whitfield from Agape Faith Church in Clemmons, N.C., ministered on the concept of salt. He emphasized how that salt during biblical times was used in the sacrifices to season, to sanctify, and even to affect the aroma of the meat being offered. As we worship the Lord, there is always a sacrifice involved. Our most valuable sacrifice is the time we commit to worship. As we place our time on the altar, clear our calendar, and set it aside, we are actually sprinkling the salt of obedience. We produce an aroma of worship as we sacrifice our time, combining obedience with sanctification, the setting apart of our lives: spirit, soul, and body.
Pollutants-the need for salt. The Prophet Elijah was the salt of his time. He was well-known but not very popular. The fear of the Lord was a scarcity in the midst of a land of idol worshippers. Elijah boldly spoke out against this idol worship. He was surrounded by people in a nation that served the Lord with their lips but their hearts were far from Him.
Obedience-the sprinkling of salt
In 1 Kings Chapter 18 of the Bible, God instructed Elijah to present himself before the king to declare His message. Elijah boldly went to the king who summoned his people to present themselves before the altar of the Lord. Once they assembled, Elijah commanded the false priests to offer their sacrifice and call on their god. Elijah would do the same, but calling on His God-the Lord God Almighty. He then told the people (and they agreed) that the god who answered with fire was the god they would serve.
The Holy Scriptures reveal that the false priests cried, cut themselves, and shouted until dusk. No fire. Imagine that. I love what Elijah says next. He mocked them, saying, “perhaps your god is on vacation, or needs to be awakened”. Elijah then rebuilt the altar of the Lord, laying 12 stones, one for each of the tribes of Israel. He dug a trench, put the wood in order, cut the bullock, and placed it in order on the altar. Then he filled the trench with water and called on the name of the Lord. Fire fell from heaven and the people fell on their faces. The Scriptures say the flames devoured even the water that was in the trench. Elijah’s obedience produced the fragrance of God-His Presence and a manifestation of His power.
The Sanctification-The setting apart
If we, too, are going to be “salt on the earth,” we must emulate Elijah’s passion to willingly stand apart in the midst of national conformity. We must emulate his boldness, declare the truth and not hide behind the cloak of political correctness. His worship produced an aroma of repentance in the midst of a nation that was sold out to serving themselves. Wearing God’s fragrant spirit, may involve obeying the direction of leadership that we don’t necessarily agree with. It may include sacrificing something we really enjoy at the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Application–Our Time
Have you ever had someone ask you, “why are you always so happy?” or say, “there is something special about you,” or comment about a peace you have they cannot fathom? Like Elijah, we must order our lives, especially our public lives, in such a way that it affects those around us. We are the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). As we draw near to God in worship, not just in attending our churches, synagogues, or gatherings, but also in our daily lives, we should have a positive influence on others. The fragrance of God should be on us, exemplified in an uplifting spirit.
When we take time to immerse ourselves totally in a song to Him, in our prayers, to love on Him as if He is the only one that matters in our lives, the fragrance of God’s spirit comes upon us. Now is the time for us to apply the salt of obedience to our lives as we turn aside to worship the Lord. As we do so, we will produce an arresting fragrance of the goodness of the Lord. For as we know, it is the goodness of the Lord that leads men to repentance. Let’s worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
