Opus 2015-74: Monday Pulpit: God’s Nostrils

A young man was leading in prayer in church and he said something to the effect that he wanted our lives to be a sweet savor in God’s nostrils.  My initial reaction was a loud “What!”  I almost said it out loud.

I am aware of the concept of giving off a spiritual fragrance both to God and to people around us.

(2 Corinthians 2:15 KJV)  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

But God’s nostrils?  It sounds like a swear word from Charles Dickens. 

So I did a little research.  I found “nostrils” 14 times in the NASB, 15 in the KJV.  Most of the time it refers to humans but a couple of times it is God’s nostrils that are being referenced.

I hope you are not one of those people that demands that everything in the Bible be taken literally.  Picture the image that could emerge.  We have two nostrils and also just one eye.

(Psalms 33:18 KJV)  Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

The image has feathers and wings.

(Psalms 91:4 KJV)  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

We begin to build a ridiculous picture, at least to Bible believing Christians.  If we were describing an Egyptian or Aztec deity, maybe; the God of the Bible, no.  If we wanted to be literal we might talk about hiding under His armpits but that loses the beauty of the poetic description.

So take the literal portions literally and the literary devices as literary devices.  It makes for better reading, and who knows?  You might find you actually understand it.

homo unius libri