Fragrance

by Anne Stewart

I don't really like the smell of perfume on me, however I love it on others and like nothing better than to stand in Jo Malone and inhale. I think it might be the fact that a lot of their fragrances involve food. (lime basil and madarin is a favourite).

While reading a book I got for Christmas, I came across a quote from Mark Twain that stopped me in my tracks ,

"Forgiveness is the fragrance  that the violet sheds on the heal that crushes it."

I had to read it again and again. It is such a powerful and beautiful description of the act of forgiveness. That we can arrive at a place where forgiveness is released as an aroma, a fragrance that can be sensed by others, just filled me with awe. The use of the word fragrance was playing around in my mind . That same day I was listening to a pod cast from Bethel Atlanta and the topic was again "Fragrance."  The speaker Steve Hale was describing in a similar way that God can take our scars whether physical or otherwise, and in the healing, they become the stories of our lives. Stories of healing that emit a fragrance of his grace, that we get to release to others. We get to replace the story of pain and distress with something else that smells so much sweeter than death and decay. 

This brought me back to 6 months ago when we were awaiting the arrival of the undertakers who were bringing my mums body home from hospital. Everyone was aimless and lost in our own pain. Then we heard the laughter and commotion from another room. We found the oldest grandchildren enthralled and delighted...while looking for something else they came across Mums albums and books of cuttings. They found photographs and mementoes of the big and happy events in their lives. Birthdays, exams,weddings... all documented with such pride. We laughed at clothes and hair and were amazed at how much they looked alike at different stages. At that moment I felt covered in love; sorrow was pushed out . This was her way of showing us how much she loved us all . Everything we had become, everything we had achieved was important not only to us but to her.  At that moment it felt that love had conquered death. 

So as I look back at that day this is the story that jumps into my mind first. I have to admit I tried to write these words a few times but had to give up. I now realise the healing process had begun on that day. There are still days when tears flow and I ache with loss, but over time I now realise that my story will release the fragrance of having been much loved by her and of God's healing touch in those days.

In 2 Corinthians 2:14 it says : 

               "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ 

                and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. 

                We are to God the aroma of Christ."

This takes me back to doing Encounter last year, when a certain "second year" would often say after another supernatural encounter, "Doesn't that smell of Jesus ?" (It helps if you imagine saying it in a Cumbrian accent.)  

Even then I loved the fact that our senses could detect His presence in ways we couldn't imagine. It is so beautiful that we get to carry this fragrance of forgiveness, love...of his healing grace in our lives. This is one perfume I am only too happy to carry .