“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him”
Psalm 34:8
by Sue Wayman
This verse is from one of David’s psalms which I love to meditate on at any time of the year, but I think that as Christmas approaches we are particularly mindful of Christmas treats and flavours and perhaps can more easily draw a parallel.
David makes an invitation to the listener to taste and see God for themselves. In other words, there is an invitation to experience God. By so doing we will discover that He is good.
In order to taste, and experience, we have to draw close to Him. We cannot just stand at a distance as an onlooker.
On Christmas Day, we traditionally celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is also, for many, a day of feasting and having our favourite things to eat. My childhood Christmases in England were events when the whole extended family would join together around the dining table for a roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
We would take the first mouthful, chew it and relish its flavour. Then we would swallow it. How good it tasted! The food nourished us by becoming a part of us.
Did you know that God wants to nourish us spiritually? He knows that we live in a troubled and broken world. Sometimes the challenges can be quite overwhelming, but right in the middle of our circumstances God wants us to know that He is with us. In fact, Emmanuel means “God with us”.
Father God sent Jesus to earth for us all, to take on human form as a baby, to live a life modelling a close relationship with God, and ultimately dying on the cross and being raised from the dead to show us all that the death of our bodies is no longer the end, and that our shortcomings and failures have been forgiven.
So, as you tuck into your Christmas treats this year, remember that God wants us to taste and see that He is good. Instead of keeping Him at a distance, why not accept His invitation to take a closer step towards Him? Experience Him for yourself – you will not be disappointed.
“…those who seek the Lord lack no good thing”. Psalm 34:10