2 Corinthians 2 - 2.4.26

Scripture

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Observation

There is a lot packed into this one verse. God always leads us. He leads us in triumph. He diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge everywhere through us.

Right before this verse, Paul describes his recent journey. He went to Troas, and he discovered that God had opened a door for him. But he was distressed because he expected to meet Titus, and he didn’t. Then he went to Macedonia. However, it was God who led him, and he thanks God for leading him in triumph.

God has promised to direct our steps. When we trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on our own understanding, and acknowledge Him in all our ways, He will direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6). 

When he leads us, he leads us in triumph. We might face hardship and difficulties along the way, yet we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Rom 8:37). Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:57).

He diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge through us everywhere we go. When we spend time with God and walk with Him, the perfume of his knowledge is imparted on us. Wherever we go, people can sense the scent of God on us. In the book of Esther, we see that Esther went through extensive long-term beauty treatments before she was presented to the king. This included six months of perfumes and six months of oil and myrrh (Esther 2:12). Because of this, wherever Esther went, she exuded a beautiful fragrance. Similarly when we spend time with God and walk with Him, we absorb His presence into our life, and we exude fragrance of the knowledge of God wherever we go.

Application

This verse assures us that God leads us in triumph and releases the fragrance of His presence through us. Let us trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and not lean on our own understanding. Let us acknowledge Him in all our ways, so that He can direct our paths (Prov 3:5-6). Let us cultivate the habit of spending time with God in prayer and reading His word, and walk in obedience and his presence, so that we absorb the fragrance of His knowledge, carrying that fragrance on us wherever we go.

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for loving me. Thank you for leading my paths and directing my steps. Thank you because I am more than a conqueror through You, who loved me (Rom 8:37). I want to carry the fragrance of your knowledge and your presence wherever I go. Teach me how to spend time with you so that the fragrance of your knowledge is absorbed in me. Help me to live in obedience pleasing you. Make my life a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You (Rom 12:1). In Jesus’s name. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George