One of the things I most love about God’s Word is the imagery throughout it. Whether it’s describing the anguish Christ felt in Gethsemane or the idioms of the Proverbs (See Proverbs 26:11 or 26:17), the Bible is full of mental pictures that help us not only more fully understand the intent of the words, but recall them when we need them most.
Recently, one piece of imagery has become especially meaningful to me. In Psalm 34:8a, we are commanded to “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” It’s interesting language because usually you don’t think of tasting another person’s goodness. You might see it, but to taste involves a sense that we don’t usually relate to an assessment of another’s character. Tasting involves experiencing His goodness on a deeper level beyond just bearing witness to it.
It means that you are actively involved in digesting the majesty of His faithfulness.
You are consuming the riches of His mercy.
And you are hungering for more of Him to fill you.
There are times that we convince ourselves that are eyes are deceiving us, but I’ve never heard of someone’s taste buds playing tricks on them. Tasting then helps us realize the reality of who God is and how His goodness is demonstrated in our lives.When we both taste and see the evidence of God’s character, we more fully experience and are more fully aware of the reality of that goodness.
May we taste and see God’s goodness today.