The Smell of Death

A viewer called me the other day wanting the forecasted wind speed for the coming day because he was going duck hunting. I found myself having a flash back to my days growing up at home. My dad and brother would go duck hunting and bring back their find and commence to plucking feathers. Afterwards, the worst smell of singed feathers and flesh would permeate the outside. I can still smell that stench to this day. Yuk!

I wonder if the Old Testament temples smelled with their burning sacrifices? Figuratively speaking, the more death God smells, the closer He can come. The New Testament equivalent of death is repentance, brokenness and humility. It brings the manifest presence of God near. Acts 17:30 says, "These times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent." But we often avoid repentance because we don't like the smell of death in our lives or our desires. Although the smell isn't enticing to us, it is very enticing to God because it is a signal that He can once again draw close to those He loves.

What do you need to put on the altar to sacrifice? What do you need to get rid of in your life--a lying tongue, an extramarital relationship, a habit, an attitude? Even Elijah didn't ask for the fire of God to fall down on the altar until he had loaded it down with a worthy sacrifice. We've been praying for the fire to fall for too long, but we haven't put anything on the altar!