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The Lilac Scent


Mmm . . . I caught the faint sweet smell of the freshly picked lilacs as I walked through my family room. Lilacs have gotta be the fragrance of Spring! As I sat down and started to read, their aroma quickly drifted off. Instead, I found myself knee deep in blood and gore. In bold print was how King Solomon initially established his kingdom and power. He had a hit man, Benaiah, who carried out his plans, and killed off the threats to his political power. This included Solomon's older brother, Adonijah, who had failed at capturing the kingdom for himself. It was also, Joab, his father's former army commander, who himself had been involved with killing those he felt were in his way. Finally, it was Shimei, who had been a tormentor of his father King David. So King Solomon had settled the score, both for him and for his father; now, he could rule.

I think I know why people don't like to read the stories found in the Old Testament. I think they find them much too graphic, too violent, too filled with war, with lust and lurid sex. There probably are great steamy screenplays to write from that base of history, because the pages are uncensored. Truth be told, I think we would rather avoid reading those tales because it forces us to see us as we really are. It's easier to stay "whitewashed" and think of us as good and righteous.

Yet, the message or theme is just the same, through out both the Old and New Testament. It's not about us or our goodness or faithfulness. It's not that David was such a great king or that his son Solomon was so wise, it's not that there was something special about the nation of Israel. It was only because of God's faithfulness and grace that He decided to show through that nation and David's lineage, his Savior Jesus. It's because of God's great love for us that He enters into our mess and "gunk" of human life. His grace is like the lilac scent that fills my senses, that aroma that arises not from me, but from the sacrifice of Christ . . .

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."
(Ephesians 5:1-2)

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