There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
I know of two people very close to me who do not drink coffee but love the smell of it. It is a fragrant aroma to them as it is to Vicki and me when the timer starts the coffee maker and we awake to the aroma. These words from the pen of Isaiah present a picture of joy that shall come. The final phrase tells of the delight. This word also is used to describe a pleasing aroma. The reverence for God the Father by the Son will result in the pleasing aroma of our salvation. We will rejoice.
Much of what we remember from Christmas is smells. The pleasing aroma of cookies, mulled cider, candles, and the tree, all serve to amplify our joy during the Christmas season. May this season remind us that it is not just our senses that experience the joy of Christmas but our very souls. The promised Messiah has come and the Spirit rested on him like a dove. He taught us to know and fear the Lord. Finally, he bore the fruit of pain and suffering as the perfect sacrifice with the most pleasing aroma. May we remember Easter this Christmas.
Dear Lord, thank you for the shoot from the stump of Jesse. May our worship of you be a pleasing aroma to you as your sacrifice of your Son was. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church