Taste and See

If you have ever helped raise children, or if you're in your toddler era, you will 100% resonate with me on this.

I know that, more than likely, at some point you have spent time preparing a meal that you know for sure your kid is absolutely fanatic over. You get the nice plate, possibly their favorite color, their favorite drink in their favorite cup to compliment it, and then, to surprise them later, their favorite dessert.

You lay it all out on the table and announce it's dinner time. With their little legs, they come running, pull their chair out, climb up in it to sit. They're excited, hungry, and ready to eat.

You lay their plate down on the table... and the smile turns into a frown... and then the big ol' "NO!" belts out...

And you can hardly help but hold in the, "BUT IT'S YOUR FAVORITE!!!"

Now you spend the next thirty minutes trying to coax them into taking one bite, possibly even stooping as low as bribery. "Look, I have your favorite dessert!" Now it's just game over. They saw the dessert—you've lost the battle.

Now, of course, we can't force-feed our children. That would be traumatic... and highly unethical.

You might put a little taste of the food on your finger and try to swipe the food across their lips or tongue just to get a little taste in their mouth and hope they realize it tastes good.

Unfortunately…that still doesn't work. If only they could just see that it tastes good!

How many times can you recall God tugging at your own heart... "Just try Me."

When you're doubting, when you're hurting, when you're in need... taste and see.

(Psalm 34:8)

How many times have you wanted something so badly... like that dessert your kid wants... and God is saying, "Just wait, please. I have something so much better. Please just try this nourishing meal I've prepared for you."

But our eyes are so fixed with longing for that dessert that we would rather starve ourselves from the meal God prepared just to take one bite of the sweetness that lasts for only a moment, instead of the meal that would sustain us for the day ahead.

While we are so very blessed to know that God is so good, we still have to remind ourselves from time to time, when we struggle to lean on him, take refuge, find peace, for our strength.

We need time in His Word every day along with those quiet, intimate moments of prayer and worship. Not because God moves away from us, but because our hearts are so quick to become distracted. Spending time with Him helps us remember His faithfulness, refocus our hearts, and keep our hunger for Him alive. We never outgrow our need for His presence.

Take a moment to picture a cafeteria, and imagine the hunger for God out there. People lined up, hungry and waiting to be served, and we didn't show up to work to help serve the meal? We must always be willing to share JESUS, we can't miss our open doors.

How many times have you passed the grocery store clerk who opened up to you about having a tough time... and you never said, "Try Jesus, I have…and he is so Good.”

There is a responsibility on both sides of the table. The servers must be willing to prepare and offer the food, while the hungry must be willing to admit their need and respond, “Yes, I’m hungry.” It takes both, a heart willing to serve and a heart willing to receive.

There are so many people out there who have never "delighted in the Lord." Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Just picture it, we ate the meal he prepared and he gives us the cake we wanted! He will give us our desires! How amazing is it to know we serve a God who would do this for us! We need to share this!

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭15‬ ‭

When you share the message of Jesus, there are times when not everyone will say yes. We can’t allow someone’s “no” keep us from telling others just how good God is.

Our responsibility isn’t to make people respond; it’s to faithfully offer the invitation. Some will walk away, but others are waiting to hear the very message that could change their lives. Don’t let one “no” silence the story of God’s goodness.

Keep sharing, keep loving, and keep pointing people to Jesus. You never know who is ready to say, “Yes, I’m hungry.”

Just remember how GOOD your toddler's meal would be if they would just take ONE BITE. Eventually they will! It might just take a moment to convince them.

If I haven’t explained God’s Goodness well enough, hopefully these scriptures throughout the Old & New Testament will! 🙌🏼

• Psalm 34:8 – “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

• Nahum 1:7 – “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble...”

• Exodus 33:19 – And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you…”

• Psalm 31:19 – ““How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.”

• Psalm 23:6 – ““Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

• Psalm 145:8–9 – ““The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”‭

• Psalm 86:5 – “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”

• Lamentations 3:22–25 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;”

• Psalm 25:8 – “Good and upright is the Lord...”

• Psalm 119:68 – “You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.”

For the Lord is GOOD and his LOVE endures FOREVER. -Psalm 136:1; Psalm 100:5, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 118:1, Psalm 118:29, Psalm 136:1, 1 Chronicles 16:34; 2 Chronicles 5:13; 2 Chronicles 7:3; 2 Chronicles 20:21; Ezra 3:11; Jeremiah 33:11,

Why are there so many Scriptures that reference God’s goodness? The Bible repeatedly describes God’s goodness, inviting us not only to know about Him, but to experience His goodness, the Lord is GOOD,. Everyone should be given the opportunity to hear about his goodness.

God's purpose and plan is so much greater than our desires. Sometimes we just have to be willing to listen and taste so we can see.

Our family has seen SO many hungry people in the last few years, and God has touched so many lives.

We, as a church whole, have to be ready when these people come to us during our day-to-day lives, during outreach events, and at church in the altars, seeking God with us. With our hands raised in prayer, waiting and expecting God to move. In those moments is when we can share with them, that we have seen His goodness, and we have faith that GOD WILL MOVE in their lives too! 🙌🏼