2 Corinthians 2:5-17

Be Still: Lord, I come before you today longing for an encounter through your living Word. Would you meet me here, now! Amen

Read: 2 Corinthians 2:5-17

'For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.' (v15)

Encounter: I’ve always been a big lover of food. That’s never changed. Even as a child, I constantly had food on the brain. I’d sit in lessons at school daydreaming - not about homework or weekend plans - but about what Mum might be cooking for dinner.

On the bus ride home, I’d play a guessing game: could it be cottage pie tonight? Maybe chicken curry? Walking through the front door would be the moment of truth. Instantly, I’d know. The whole house would be filled with the unmistakable fragrance. Without seeing the pot on the stove, I could tell – it’s spaghetti bolognese tonight (my favourite)!

Smells are powerful. They fill rooms, linger in spaces, and stick in your memory.

That’s why I find 2 Corinthians 2:15 so deeply challenging: What if people could sense something different about us – not just when we speak or act – but simply by being in the same space as us? What if the atmosphere changed because we walked into a room, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of the Holy Spirit living in us?

Just like the smell of dinner can fill a whole house before a single plate is served, the presence of Christ in us can fill a space before we even say a word.

And here’s the key: it’s not something we have to manufacture. This is the work of the Holy Spirit himself. But it’s our job is to allow space, to rest in his presence and be filled by him so that we can diffuse this Jesus fragrance into the world around us.

Apply: What kind of atmosphere do you bring into the spaces you enter – your workplace, your home, your friendships? This week, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh each day. Before entering a room, conversation, or meeting, pause – and pray – ‘Jesus, let me carry your fragrance here.’ Allow your presence to be shaped by his.

Devote: Lord, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Help me carry the fragrance of Christ into every situation where I'm present.