Morning Moments

CRUSHED AND BURNED
How do you like your life? Crushed and burned!
I have always loved sweet scents. A nice cologne, a steak on the grill, fresh air, fresh flowers, and a thousand other things perk me up when I smell them. I remember being in Charlottesville, VA once dining in a restaurant with some friends when a scent caught me that I had to find, so I asked the server if he would try and locate it. He couldn’t, but as I walked by a particular table, it hit me like a ton of bricks, so I stopped to speak to the couple and asked the gentleman, “Sir, would you kindly tell me what perfume your wife is wearing?” With a big smile, he proceeded to tell me and when we left the restaurant, we went directly to a department store where I purchased some for my wife.

I realize that not everyone is so sensitive to scents. I entered a hospital room once wearing favorite cologne and the guy in the bed said to the nurse, “Whatever that smell is it is making me sick.” So, I went in the restroom and washed it off.

Well, Phillips, what has all this to do with God, the Bible, and spiritual lessons? And for goodness sake what does it have to do with “crushed and burned”?

Just this –

God loves the pleasant aroma of a crushed and burned life! Consider:

First the CRUSHED - [Jn 12:3] Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Spikenard. A costly oil derived from the dried roots and stems of the nard, an herb of Asia. This oil was used as a liquid or made into an ointment. Solomon praised the fragrance of spikenard (Song 1:12; 4:13–14).

Spikenard was imported from India in alabaster boxes. These were stored and used only for special occasions. When household guests arrived, they were usually anointed with this oil. Jesus was anointed on two occasions as an honored guest

Mark 14:3; John 12:3).
Many spikes grew from a single nard root that produced clusters of pink flowers. The stems were covered with hair, giving them a woolly appearance. Some translations of the Bible refer to spikenard as nard.

We are told that the process of making the “nard” involved the crushing of the plant. The odor of the ointment filled the room and Jesus was pleased. Brokenness or crushing of the life brings cleansing, and cleansing, communion.

Now the BURNING - [9] But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

The person making the offering presented the animal to the priest, placed his hand on it and KILLED it on the north side of the Altar. In placing his hand upon the animal, the one offering was identifying with the sacrificial animal.
Paul said, “I plead with you brethren to offer YOURSELF as a living sacrifice, wholly and acceptable to God…”

Brokenness is the path of blessing for the believer and it is only as we die to self that we can live unto God. Jesus offered Himself COMPLETELY with no hesitation or reservation. He understood that it was the thing to do to please the Father and provide salvation for us. “Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and DIE, it abides alone; but if it DIES, it brings forth much fruit.

The CRUSHED and BURNT OFFERING are sweet scents in the nostrils of God. Have you offered yourself to HIM? Hold on to your life and you will lose it; offer it and you will find it.

REMEMBER it is voluntary!

BLESSINGS!