The Smell of Heaven Induces Asthma Attack!

This is my bookshelf. Correction: This is the bookshelf entrusted to my care by the church for the duration of my internship. It is pretty. It displays my "The beatings will continue until morale improves" pirate flag, my Michael Scott coffee mug, my Chicken Dance birthday card, and not a small number of elementary education class projects which I received as housewarming gifts from a beloved friend. Last, and certainly not least, right by my coffee mugs, the bookshelf houses my aroma therapy bottle containing a fragrance called, "Heaven." I am not here to endorse aroma therapy, but I do enjoy having a good smelling office, and "Heaven" has been the means to that end.

When I arrived at the church shortly after 8 this morning, the janitor asked me if I could do her a favor. Not wishing to impart vibes of ill-will, I said, "Sure." She, the janitor, asked me if I could rid my office of the aroma therapy, because when she opened the door to my office this morning to clean, she had an asthma attack from the aroma. "Oops," I thought. "Sorry. Sure thing," I said.

While I have received compliments on the celestial smell of my office, I suppose that the aroma can become overwhelmingly strong when the door remains closed for over 12 hours. Can you relate, Caleb? I guess there can be too much of a good thing.

In regards to Sunday's service, Pastor Bob preached from Exodus 15:22-27. This passage gives the account of Moses throwing the tree in the bitter water to make the water become sweet. Pastor Bob insightfully pointed out that this passage is essentially the whole book of Exodus given in one short narrative. The people grumble against God, God graciously meets their physical needs, God addresses the people and points out that their primary predicament is not a physical one, and finally God provides rest for his people. This cycle repeats itself over and over within the over-arching narrative of Exodus. 

Dealing with the issue of physical needs and spiritual conditions, Pastor Bob asked, "Which is worse, bitterness or cancer?" This question stuck with me and hopefully will stick with you. Whereas one destroys body, the other has the power to eat away at one's soul. Anyone who has wrestled with bitterness will readily admit that bitterness does to one spiritually what cancer does to someone physically. May we not be content to merely drink sweet water while ignoring the greater offer of water which will cause us to never thirst again.