# 345 Spices of Grace

The Book of Genesis

Day 345

Ge 37:25 And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt.

Spices, balm and myrrh. Why bring up what the caravan was carrying? What do these spices have to do with the story? Where have you heard of these spices before? It’s not the exact same gifts mentioned in the account of the wise men coming to worship Jesus, but I think it’s safe to say that wherever you find these spices, you will find a picture of grace! Grace is the travelling companion of these spices.

They were brought to the Infant Jesus in Bethlehem as a reminder that He would carry them with Him throughout His entire life on earth, and they would be travelling with Joseph to Egypt for the same reason.

Let’s look at these three treasures and see if we can make the connection with grace.

We start with (1) spices. When I think of spices, I think of food. The purpose of spices in food is to enhance flavor. It is to bring out the very best, and this is God’s great plan for grace in our lives as well. As we surrender to him, He uses grace (divine influence on our heart) to work in us those things for which He created us!

(2) Balm. Balm brings forth visions of medicine. It is the grace of healing. There is healing in grace. As we surrender to Jesus He takes our burdens, our hurts, and lifts them away from us. Just think of the great healing that took place in Egypt when Joseph assured his brothers they were forgiven.

(3) Myrrh. Myrrh was used for embalming. It was a preservative and perhaps that is the greatest quality of God’s grace. For it is by His grace that we are kept and preserved. The moment we try to keep ourselves by obeying the law on our own ….the stench of corruption will begin to enter our lives. But as we trust God to keep us on His path, as we trust in Him to bring forth glad obedience, we are preserved in the sweet smell of myrrh.  We are a sweet aroma to God the Father and to those around us as well. We are dead to self, but alive and kept in Christ!

These three, spices, balm, and myrrh were Joseph’s travelling companions and he was going to need them for his trials in Egypt. Let’s make them our travelling companions as well.