Legacy: A Flame and A Fragrance

My wife and I really like scented candles. Well, at least we like the scented candles that give off a bright flame and a pleasing aroma. In light of these thoughts, this morning I realize that our lives are like scented candles, in that, we all have a wick to be lit and we are wax that especially when heated gives off a scent.

Lord, I pray today that my life will give off a bright flame of Your compassion and that the scent of my soul will not be an odorous stench but a pleasing smell to You and to others. I want to carry within my earthly existence Your eternal flame and Your ever-loving fragrance. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reading from Mark 14 today, I realized that the lady in the story, Mary of Bethany, was a living flame for others, she left a loving fragrance for Jesus, and her story of sacrifice is still warming hearts today. On the other hand, the man in the story, Judas Iscariot, let his flame be blown out by betrayal, and left behind an odorous memory as his legacy.

¹ Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. ² “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.” ³ While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. ⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. ⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. ⁹ I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” ¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
-- John 14:1-11 (NIV)

Lord, let my legacy be a flame and a fragrance for Your glory.
Your Name, my God, is Faithful and my name is...
Grateful