Oh, how sweet is the fragrance of the Lord!  It is so sweet that Solomon writes that it causes the virgins to love Him (S.O.S. 1:3). 

Did you know that the world's supply of attar of roses comes from the Balkan Mountains?  These roses must be gathered in the darkest hours of the night. The pickers begin at one o'clock and finish picking them at two.  They do this because actual scientific tests have proven that forty percent of the fragrance disappeared in the light of day. 

Our Lord is the Rose of Sharon (S.O.S. 2:1).  Is it any wonder then, that as the greatest beauty and sweetness of His life was seen, it had to be cut off from its earthly root to spread its fragrance throughout all the world?  Wicked men picked this "Rose" in the greatest darkness that this world will ever know.  But because they did, and God purposed it to be so in mercy for us (Acts 2:23), His fragrance has sweetened the lives of millions of people throughout the ages of time (II Cor. 2:15). 

Dear Christian, are you in a dark place, a night of sorrow right now?  Look for this "Rose" and do as Solomon's bride did.  She put a little of this perfume in a box and hung it around her neck to sweeten her sleep (S.O.S.).  Do the same.  Hold this "Rose" close to you in your "night" and smell His sweetness.  You will find it to be a fragrance so precious, so exhilarating, so empowering, that you will never want to be without it (S.O.S. 3:6). 

The Lord says, "As He is, so are we in this world" (I Jn. 4:17).  Let us, daily, offer up to God our sweet savor offerings even though they must be made by fire (Lev. 1:9).  But remember, they must be made of the inward parts and legs - they must be made with the heart, walking in love as Christ has loved us (Eph. 5:2).  Then they shall be unto God a sweet savor of Christ, a savor of life unto life, even though they shall be to those that perish a savor of death unto death, as we manifest the knowledge of Christ in every place (II Cor. 2:14-16). 

May God help us to do it.