Coco Chanel Once Said …..
“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume is a woman without a future”.
Perfume is one of my passions in life, so I truly love this statement.
The art of the perfumer is as ancient as time itself. It’s first mentioned in the book of Exodus where God says to Moses (and gives him the recipe), “Take sweet spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense, an equal amount of each. And make of them incense, a perfume after the perfumer’s art, seasoned with salt and mixed, pure and sacred”. Ex 30:34,35
Priests, rabbis, and shamans were the original perfumers, keepers of the sacred. To this day, fragrant anointing oils and incense are used regularly by every major religion in the world. The Priest used oil to anoint the Tent of Meeting and all the utensils in service to God. Once it was anointed, it was set apart, consecrated and declared Holy.
“The odour of your ointments is fragrant; Your Name is like perfume poured out. Therefore do the maidens love You” Son1:3. Christ name is like ointment poured forth. It brings healing and wellbeing to those who find Him. The incense burned upon the golden altar was prepared of sweet spices. The spices were to be beaten very small to release the fragrance – thus, it pleased the Lord to bruise the Redeemer when He offered Himself for a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour. Blessed be the name of Jesus; “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes, we are healed”. Isaiah 53:5
Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil (perfume). But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor”? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box, and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “leave her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial” (embalming). John 12:3-7 Mary loved Jesus very much so no expense was spared to demonstrate her love for Him.
“Oil and perfume rejoices the heart. So does the sweetness of a friend’s counsel that comes from the heart” Prov27:9. Wow, what a beautiful word! Friendship that comes from your heart is like sweet perfume that rejoices the heart of your friend.
“But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere. For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ which exhales unto God, discernible among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the latter it is an aroma from death to death, the smell of doom, to the former it is an aroma from life to life a vital fragrance living and fresh” 2Cor 2:14-16. So remember you are the “perfume bottle” from which the fragrance of Christ is dispensed!
Until Houbigant released ‘Fougere Royal’ in 1882, all perfume through the ages was completely natural. This fragrance defines a type of perfume — the “fougère” (or fern-like) fragrance family. But even more important, Fougère Royal was composed around an accord of oakmoss, geranium, bergamot and synthetic coumarin. Today perfume is a multi-million dollar industry. Designer labels become immortalized by composing exotic perfumes sold in even more exotic bottles, which women desire all over the world. It is a symbol of love, sacrifice, and pleasure. A familiar scent can transport you back into time. It can provoke the most secret and sacred feelings inside of you. It can expose your emotions in the presence of someone special and enhance a magical moment. It is believed that the blending of natural perfume is the highest form of art.
By pouring out sweet words of love and appreciation all over our loved ones, we bring pleasure to them and simultaneously bring glory to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who lavishly poured out His Name upon us!