Tasting God’s Goodness

My wife, Norma Jean, has a lot of great recipes.  Suppose we invited you over one Saturday night.  We sit down at the table and she passes around her recipe for grape salad,  poppy-seed chicken, sweet potato casserole, squash casserole and home-made yeast rolls.  She sees your puzzled expression, and says, “Go ahead and read them.”  And I add, “Yes they taste great!  Just wait until you read her desert recipe for Strawberry cake!”

You would probably think “these people are nuts!”   Why?  Because you would rather taste the food than read about it! 

How about our spiritual sustenance ? The Psalmist said, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;” (Ps. 34:8)

Rather then just fill our minds with facts about God, we are invited to fill our hearts with Him.  Instead of just reading about Jesus, he wants us to eat the bread of life.  To drink the water of life. To “taste Him.”  We “taste” God’s goodness as we develop a relationship with Him.”

“Taste” His goodness in the beauty of nature. Too often we rush hastily throughout life without appreciating the budding flower. The colorful rainbow.  The resplendent sunset.  The chirping bird.  The gentle breeze.  Take time to drink deeply from God’s creation.

“Taste” His goodness in happiness of the home life.  Thankfully God knew it “was not good for a man to alone.”  And so He made a mate suitable for man.  Our spouses and our children bring a great deal of joy to our lives.  And it is especially so when we follow God’s blueprint for the home.  Truly a happy and contented home life is a taste of heaven on earth.

“Taste” His goodness in Christian fellowship.  God purposed that we do more than believe.  He wants us to belong.  To belong to a church family To belong to a warm fellowship.  To belong to a caring community.  When Christians take their rightful place in the spiritual family, it brings nourishment our to soul and sustains our spirit

“Taste” His goodness in material blessings. God has blessed us richly.  Most of us have the basic necessities of life–food, clothing and shelter.  Many of us enjoy “creature comforts.”  But regardless of the degree of prosperity where we live, God provides.  He blesses.  He meets his children’s needs.  He truly gives us “our daily bread.”

“Taste” His goodness in salvation through Christ.  Jesus came not for us to read about Him, but to know Him.  To experience a relationship with Him.  To “taste” him.  Listen to His words in John 6:53-57:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.   Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.   For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.  He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.   

Was Jesus speaking literally?  Of course not!  But figuratively we can “eat.”  Spiritually we can “drink.”  And when we do we have gone beyond just reading the recipes.  We have tasted the meal. 

Reading is good.  Tasting is better!    

—Ken Weliever, The Preacherman