“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:20-22)
In the middle of God’s wrathful judgment on His creation, Noah found His ever-present grace and mercy. After so long a time cooped up in that ark with all those animals, I’m sure Noah and his family were ready for some fresh air! Right after he came out of the ark, Noah built an altar to the LORD. The first thing Noah did was to offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to God for His mercy to him and his family. He had the whole planet to start over with. He chose to put God first in his new life. And the fragrance was “a soothing aroma” to the LORD. He smelled it. It entered into His heart and caused Him to make a promise that lasts to this day. The promise of the rainbow. As long as the earth remains, God promises that seasons, days and nights will not cease.
Let’s look closer at Noah’s sacrifice. First Noah built an altar. He had to measure it out, gather the building supplies, then build it. Next, he chose the clean animals only. Clean being the best he had available to use as an offering. He took some of every clean animal and every clean bird. That’s a lot of animals! Then he had to kill them and put them on the altar as a sacrifice. He spent a lot of time and energy in this effort and what was God’s response? It was a soothing aroma. It soothed His hurt heart. Man had hurt His heart. Man had rejected His love to the point where His wrath was poured out. It was such a sweet time for the LORD because He was able to enjoy someone’s love and faith in Him.
Today, we too can offer up to the LORD the soothing aroma of our best praise and our best worship. What is our best? It is the freewill offerings of our heart that He treasures so. Have you ever had someone hug you because they were so in love with you? Like they never wanted to let you go? It made you feel so good, didn’t it? That is what the freewill offerings of our hearts is to the LORD. Times spent with Him in faith-filled praise and worship are treasured moments to Him. These moments inspire Him to bless us. They cause His face and mercy to shine upon us like it did for Noah.
The soothing aroma of heart-felt worship stems from a hunger and a passion for God and His ways that is unquenchable. So many people just don’t understand why someone hungers for God so much. When you are delivered out of danger and a sin-sick life, believe me, you’ll be so hungry for God you won’t let go no matter what. It is in the intimate relationship when the soothing aroma goes from your heart to His and His blessings and promises come back to you. Nothing can compare to knowing Him…nothing.
Don’t know Him?
Blessings everyone…
From the Heart of God... 
Reblogged this on Stones of Fire Ministries and commented:
Word for today….
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