The Aroma Of Worship- Foreward

I love it when people find an area they're passionate about, link it to their essential oil business and let things simply flow...as  a natural expression of who they are. There'[s a passion and grace and simplicity in it all in one. Ideas flow naturally. And it's contagious.

I remember the first time Derin and I talked about his idea for this book, about how he wanted to introduce  - or reintroduce - people to several of the essential oils  ( and particularly some you've seen mentioned in the bible, but might not have even known were essential oils!) He mentioned he wanted to tie the ideas to scripture . make a few "real world" comments, and invite people into a multisensory experience with their father.

He wanted them to know  Him - in their heads. That is, He wanted them to have the information.

He also wanted them to feel Him in their spirit - to become aware of the great love Paul described when He wrote that the Holy Spirit was poured into our hearts. (Romans 5:5)

He also wanted them to sense him - to actually, tangibly "feel1 the physical oils and to smell the very things He had created to bless His children.

As Derin spoke more and more about his idea, I was drawn in. That's what happens when people taaalk about something they clearly love!

I thought, "Yes! People need this. The love of the Father isn't just something to know in your head  or experience in your spirit , but it's also something to feel...to physically encounter."

Think about it.
We are five-sense beings. We see. We hear. We taste. We touch. We Smell. The Lord gave us each of these senses for our good and His glory.

So, read Derin's book and open your senses as he discusses the smells, the aroma of worship.

Feel the cuts on the Boswellia Carterii tree as Frankincense  - ad healing - is poured forth from the very thing that would seemingly bring pain (isn't that life).

Touch the Hyssop. remember, it was with the Hyssop branch that Moses instructed the Children of Israel to brush the blood of the lamb over their door posts (Exodus 12:22); it was with the hyssop branch too that Jesus was given a sour drink when he said, " I thirst" ( John 19;29). As Derin writes, it's the hyssop that brings cleansing..... 

In the ancient world, essential oils were their medicines. It's what they had. In Jesus' day, then, healers would have walked around with a small bag attached to their waist-belt with small bottles of oil.

Did Jesus use essential oils?
Probably ....yes. Think about it. The wise men brought him three gifts. Two of the three, frankincense and myrrh, are well known for their healing properties.

Does this lessen the magnitude of His Miracles? Far from it. Rather, it invites us to connect to His past in the present moment, seeing and touching and smelling the same experience those who physically met Jesus must have encountered.

So, as you weave your way through Derin's book....May the Lord bless you and keep you. may His face of great grace and favor shine upon you. may you go slow...and savor and enjoy the experience waiting for you. Grace to You,

Reference: The Aroma Of Worship: Derin A. Stidd