I bought pressure cooker at the recommendation of my brother and others. I am learning to cook in it, trying out recipes I find online. So far, it has been a real success for speed and flavor. And since I am often forgetful to take meat from the freezer, the fact that I can use frozen meat is a real plus.
It is nice to not have to stand in the kitchen for hours or remember to put something on to slow cook all day (although I can also do that in this pressure cooker.)
There is one thing that I do not like. When I cook something in the oven or on the stovetop or in my slow cooker, the aromas flow through the house as they cook. When I cook under pressure, with everything sealed up tight in the pressure cooker, nothing escapes until I release the steam and that is just about when we are ready to eat. I do not get to salivate all day about what is waiting for us at dinner!
Thinking about my pressure cooker this morning I was reminded of 2Corinthians 2:14-15: “But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” [HCSB]
We are the fragrance of Christ to all. To those who are being saved that fragrance is delightful and sweet. It is a fragrance of life in Christ Jesus. To those who reject salvation that fragrance is completely different. To reject Christ Jesus is to reject life. To reject life is to remain in death.
God brought one other thing to mind this morning. When we are under pressure from life’s circumstances, we can get like my pressure cooker and lock the aroma inside.
Only when the pressure in us is released (to God by the power of His Holy Spirit) is the fragrance of Christ released to all.