“As beloved children, walk in Abba’s unparalleled love—the love he lavished on us in Christ. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the meaning, measure, and magnificence of this love. It’s a love whose fragrance fills heaven, and whose aroma makes the Gospel beautiful and believable in of the world.” (A blending of Eph.4:30–5:2; 2Cor.2:15-17)
Most merciful Father, we praise you for the love with which you love us, in which you have rooted us, and by which you are transforming us. You call it “lavish” (1Jn.3:1), and we call it glorious.
Free us from living only with a theological and metaphorical experience of being your dearly loved child. Proper doctrine and metaphors can’t save us; only Jesus can and did. Abba, we want to be dazzled and amazed, undone and renewed by the greatness of your steadfast, measureless love for us.
All day long let us hear you serenading us in the Gospel, as your Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are 100% yours, 100% seen, 100% known, 100% loved, 100% destined to be fully like Jesus one Day. Hallelujah!
May the fragrant aroma of Jesus’ sacrifice be the alluring aroma of grace we emit wherever you have placed us. May your love not just direct our steps, may it permeate our hearts and shape how we relate to the wide range of people in our lives. We want to smell like the Gospel not just talk about grace.
Constantly remind us, Abba: You’re not calling us to change or fix anybody; but to love everyone “as unto you”—as an act of worship and expression of hope. Your kindness—(the aroma of heaven) led/leads us and people we love to repentance. Our rigidity, rules, bribes, threats, withheld compassion, and controlling ways smell 50% like fear and 50% like unbelief—not a pleasant aroma at all. So Very Amen.
