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Prayers
Morning
Readings
Old Testament: Exodus 7:8-24
Psalm: 128
Prayer:
Increase, O God, the Spirit of Neighborliness among us;
that in peril we may uphold one another,
In suffering tend to one another,
and in exile befriend on another.
Grant us brave and enduring hearts
that we may strengthen one another,
until the disciplines and testing of these days are ended,
and you again give peace in our time.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Evening
Readings
New Testament: 2 Cor. 2:14-3:6
Psalm: 129
Prayer: See above, or use the Lord's Prayer
Devotional on 2 Cor. 2:14-3-6, from Rev. Martin Antoon:
There are only a few hills I’m willing to die on, but my commitment that New Orleans is the best food city in the country is one of them. I spent three of my college years in NOLA, and I have very fond memories of the culture and distinctives of the city. An interesting thing happens whenever Elizabeth and I return for the occasional trip. As we enter the city and see the oak trees that line Carrrollton Avenue or the menagerie of shops along Magazine Street, it starts to bring me back a little bit. When we hear the sounds coming from Audubon Park or the clanging of the street car on St. Charles, it brings me back even more. But what really seals the deal is when we sit down at the plethora of amazing restaurants in town, and they set down a dish of food in front of me. It is instantly transportive. Memories that are inseparably intertwined to particular dishes create an oddly emotional experience, and there is nothing like it. It’s almost mysterious. You’ve likely encountered something similar. Maybe you go back to your hometown into your parents’ house and smell the smell of a familiar dinner that used to be a childhood staple. Or the distinct smell of whatever plant or flower used to bloom in a particular season.
Aromas have a unique way of tapping into the fabric of what we love.
It should be no surprise then, that the Apostle Paul picks up this very idea. He says that we are the aroma of Christ to God. Paul uses an interesting word for “aroma”. It’s the same word that was often connected to the Levitical burnt offering sacrifice that connotated God’s pleasure and delight among His people. The magnitude of delight God the Father shows towards His Son’s loving sacrifice is the same delight with which God now applies to us. The pleasing aroma of Christ before God is our aroma. But Paul takes it one step further. This aroma is spread to the surrounding world. In the same way that the neighboring 6 or 7 tables can smell my pizza at Domenica or my Peacemaker Po’ Boy at Mahoney’s, so do those around us sense this aroma of Christ among those who have been transformed by Him.
What would spreading this aroma in a time of social distancing look like? Maybe it means we distinguish between social distancing and isolating. Social distancing is the healthy and appropriate way to prevent ourselves and others from getting sick by avoiding physical contact. Isolating is only looking out for ourselves when others around us could use care and encouragement, even if it’s not in person. If the aroma of our favorite meal can elicit an emotional and significant response in us, imagine how much more the aroma of Christ in believers could affect our neighbors.
For discussion:
1. What are some cheap ways we try to manufacture the aroma of Christ without the substance of Christ?
2. How could lamentation (see the link in the devotional above) provide the aroma of Christ?