Oct. 14/16 - "Reah Nihoah"

Lauren Winner in Wearing God brings forward a unique perspective on smell in relation to worship. Often, to connect with God, I use my sense of sight by reading the Word or looking out at creation, or hearing by listening for the voice of God or to music that is reflective and worshipful. Rarely do I use my sense of smell to commune with God.

In the Bible, aromas are offered as a sacrifice to God and seem to please God. “When the Bible describes God’s accepting one of these incense offerings, it speaks of a reah nihoah, a soothing odor. Human beings, in an effort to get God’s attention or communicate with God, burned fragrant incense, and God found the incense to be a ‘soothing smell’ and accepted the sacrifice” (Winner 939). 

Prior to reading this chapter of Lauren Winner’s book, I looked at incense as something people of pagan religions used. I viewed it almost as something sinful. At The Forks in Winnipeg, there is a booth in the market dedicated to selling incense. This booth was equipped with multiple Buddhist statues. Because this was the first establishment I had seen dedicated to incense, I was given the impression that incense was bad news and not to be used by a Christ-follower like me. 

This chapter has, in a way, changed my view on fragrances. This is not to say that I will go now to that booth at The Forks and purchase 40 sticks of incense to light in my dorm room as an offering to God. I don't think my roommates would appreciate that very much. 

Winner’s thoughts, however, have changed my view on scent-based worship. God gave me my sense of smell as a gift. So when I walk into Mom’s kitchen to the smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, I will thank God for this gift of sweet smelling things. Moving forward, I don’t think I will burn incense as an offering to God. But I will look at the connection between God and my sense of smell differently.

1. Winner, Lauren F.  2015. Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God.  New York: Harper Collins. Kindle.