Growth

Taste & See

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.

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Being Content Growth Hope

Polishing Promises

When a girl first gets an engagement ring, there’s no shinier ring around. You find yourself staring at the sparkler several times a day, you protect it from the tiniest speck of dirt, and you polish it relentlessly. Over time though, the care and concern diminishes. You find that tiny blemishes don’t bother you as much. You realize that taking the ring off is a guarantee that you’ll lose it, not a guarantee that it will remain clean. The ring stays on your finger out of habit and rarely are you caught staring at it anymore.

Every once in a while though, you look down at your less-than-perfect sparkler and think about how bright it once shined. You polish it and are brought back to the day it was first put on your finger and the joy your heart contained. The ring does it job as it reminds you of the promises and commitments that it was given to symbolize.

Sometimes, I think we have to do the same with God’s promises. For those of us who have been Christians for a while, we can forget the power of the commitments that permeate His Word. We’ve heard His guarantee that He will never leave us or forsake us so often that we don’t consider how awesome it is that the King of the universe is on our side (Hebrews 13:5) We know that God says that He blesses those who persevere (James 1:12) but we don’t allow this to change our response to trials. We’re aware that God has said that we need not fear, He will give us what to say (Luke 21:15), and yet we’re reluctant still to share His Word.

May we be reminded that unlike the promises of a wedding ring, God’s promises can never be broken. And when we are discouraged or downcast, may we polish off those promises and may they propel us to an ever closer walk with Him.

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