Timeless

When my husband and I were dating waaayyy back in the 70s, I wore an Avon perfume, Timeless. I was very impressed with my then future husband and I took great care to make sure I looked and smelled my best. I never wanted to smell like the office building where I worked with avid smokers – so I carried my perfume with me at all times. I kept the bottle in my purse and would be sure to give myself an extra spritz before we would go out.

Well, I was a teenager at the time (I was only 17, a senior in high school) when we began to date, so I probably wasn’t as careful with my things as I would be today. I am sure that I was somewhat careless with my purse and where I placed it, so of course in time the cap on my bottle of Timeless broke. To my wonderful advantage, it broke in my husband’s car leaving the broken cap hiding under the seat of his car. I say it was to my advantage because everyday when he drove his car he thought of me because he could smell my perfume...the pleasant odour filled the air in his car.

The other day my husband (now we’ve been married for 32 years) was preaching from II Corinthians 12:7 – 9, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” In this passage of Scripture Paul is talking about a weakness he was suffering. As my husband was preaching he talked about how Paul could have been considered to be broken, and how that his brokenness revealed what and who he was on the inside. The end result is that Paul discovered that in his weakness he was strong in Christ. He chose to glory in his weakness so that Christ could be exalted.

As I pondered the message throughout the day and actually weeks to follow I thought of how that when things break it reveals the contents. Just as my perfume cap breaking revealed the scent of my perfume in my husband’s car – when we have a break in any area of our life that’s when who we are is really revealed. Now, my question to you ladies is – who are you really? When something in your life is not going your way – when something breaks what is your reaction? Do you pout, do you retreat from others, do you give up, or do you hold on to it and allow bitterness to grow? I would hope not because if you are a Christian you have the Holy Spirit living within you – the Comforter that is there to help you!

When Mary voluntarily broke her most valuable treasure to the Lord the Bible says that the house was filled with the odour. “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.” John 12:3. Ladies, when you are broken your insides will be revealed, and the odour will fill the house – it can be a pleasant odour that glorifies the Saviour and helps others to see the love of God working in you, or it can be a stench that is born of bitterness nurtured when you refuse to accept the will of God and comfort of the Holy Spirit.

There are three reasons we endure heart breaking circumstances.

1. Because of sin – caused by direct disobedience to the Savior on your part, or on the part of someone you love.

2. Because of Satan – as in the case of Job where Satan was trying to break him to turn him away from God.

3. Because of the Saviour – as in Paul’s case so that God’s strength could be revealed through his weakness.

In every case we can receive grace from our precious Savior.

When you realize that your life is broken because of sin – turn to the Saviour. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”

When Satan throws things your way to break you down, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18

And when you are suffering for the cause of Christ, or perhaps enduring broken health remember when you are weak in your flesh you must rely on God's strength which will bring glory to Him. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

When my perfume bottle broke the essence filled the air and caused my husband to think of me. Won’t you allow your breaks to remind those around of what a great and mighty God you serve, and show them the wonderful comfort His love can fulfill?

Perhaps my "Timeless" perfume break in causing my then boyfriend to think of me had a part in our relationship growing into a wonderful love that has endurd the test of time. The Love God has for you is far greater and is indeed Timeless even endless – nothing can separate you from the Love of God.

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37 – 39

I love you ladies – have a wonderful day!