February 2, 2022

Taste and See

Psalm 34:8 (ESV)

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

The other week I had a couple new dining experiences. Usually I keep food pretty close to the chest. I know what I like, and I generally stick to that (I mean, it hasn't steered me wrong so far, so why change, right?).

Becky and I went out for dinner at our favorite little local sushi place. It's partly a favorite because we have become friends with the manager there. He is super nice and fun, and we have just connected (and he refers to me as the only pastor who comes to get sushi there). He has shared with us some extra things before, even things he was working on and not on the menu yet. So this night he asked us, "Have you ever tried fish belly?"

If you're like me you are automatically thinking....nope and nope, I'm good! So we tell him we haven't and he gets all excited and says, "Let me bring some out and show you how to eat it!" So he goes back and returns a couple minutes later with what looks like canned, wet, slimy cat food on some rice on top of seaweed paper (I'm not being judgmental, just calling it like I see it). Everything in me is looking at this and thinking, "Don't do it Brian! This could only lead to your death, or at the very least all night vomiting!"). So I tried it. Ate a couple bites of it just to make sure. Final conclusion...although some people may like it this was not for me.

Later that same week we had a company take Becky and I out to a nice dinner at a nice fish restaurant in Newport Beach (I always like it when other people take me to nice restaurants). Anyway, they see that there is octopus on the menu as an appetizer and they say, "Would you guys like some of this? I'm going to order it for the whole table." "Ugh," I thought to myself, I don't want to eat octopus. I have heard how chewy and rubbery it can be and I just don't want to.

So the appetizer is brought to the table and they slide the plate over to me and I cut a piece off. Mind you, I like to stay within my wheelhouse of food. Octopus is NOT in my wheelhouse. I look down and can tell it is the tentacle and see some of the suction cups. (Maybe some of you just threw up in your mouth right now and some of you are salivating at the thought of a good octopus appetizer). So I take a bite and intentionally chew it, not just try to swallow it quickly and get it out of my mouth. To my surprise, it was actually really good. Honestly I would eat it again (if someone else wanted to pay for it).

David, the great king of Israel, is writing Psalm 34. It was at a point where David was on the run. Why was he on the run? David had been anointed the new king of Israel in place of Saul. The only problem is, Saul is still alive...and king! And he's not looking to give that position up any time soon. (You can read all about it in 1 Samuel starting with chapter 8 and reading through to the end).

So David has been chased by Saul, threatened by Saul, had a spear thrown at him by Saul and narrowly missed him. It's probably been more low points than high points for David and his relationship with Saul and calling by God to be king. Enough hardship to wonder why David doesn't just stop one day and shrug his shoulders and cry out, "God, what is up with this? Is that what it means to be chosen and anointed by you? Is this what a life looks like for someone who is called by you to serve you?"

But David doesn't do that. In fact, Psalm 34 is specifically written by David about the time that he hid from Saul in the midst of Israel's most fierce, dishonorable, atrocious enemies - the Philistines. It's gone from bad to worse to unbelievable for David. And in reflecting on this David implores us to "taste and see that the Lord is good!"

I don't know about you, but I had to back away from my computer for a moment. Stopped typing. Stopped thinking, "what should I write next?", and just sat in that moment. How on earth can David arrive at such a conclusion and statement?

How? Because David has seen the faithfulness of God. He has experienced it. He has seen God rescue him time and time again. He has been following God's lead and God's provision and been overwhelmed by God's love, even in the midst of deep adversity. Taste and see that the Lord is good!

I think of it like a nice glass of ice water. On any given day it is good. But on a hot summer day, when you have been working and laboring hard in the heat and sun, and you stop for a break...how refreshing is that glass of ice cold water now. Sometimes, maybe, our adversities make the blessings that much better (but, that's another devotion for another time).

David's encouragement, his challenge, his urging is for you and I to taste and see that the Lord is good. Maybe you are in a good spot with God. Maybe you have figured out your wheelhouse, you are comfortable, you know how everything works, and you're just fine with that. Great! Just make sure that you are in the place where God wants you, and not that God is in the place where you want Him.

Maybe, for others, you have felt a slight tug or pull, an urging to do more. Maybe you're a little less satisfied with God right now. Maybe you're just going through the motions of being a Christian. Maybe you've stopped tasting of the goodness of God.

I can tell you one thing that's not a maybe - you need to taste and see that the Lord is good! There's no maybe about that! Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

So how can you taste and see the Lord is good? Eat, get connected, take action! First, start with His Word. Take time to read it, to sit with it, to think about it, to apply it. It doesn't do you or anyone else any good to prepare a delicious meal then just let it sit there and not be eaten. God has given us His Word, He has revealed Himself to us there, so that we would taste of it. How often should you taste of God's Word. I don't know, how many times do you eat during the day? How many cups of coffee do you have in a day? How many hours do you spend watching TV or playing games on your phone or other devices. All I'm saying is we all have room in our lives to spend in God's Word. You may have to move some of the less important things around. But I guarantee you will never fully taste and see that the Lord is good without being faithful to reading and studying His Word.

And second is just as important - spend time with other believers. Attend Sunday morning services. Maybe it's at West Cypress Church, or maybe at another church. Be faithful to be there. Be a part of a small group Bible study. It's there that friendships are grown and rooted deeply, where we are not only encouraged by others, but also sometimes challenged by them. There is a great joy in tasting to see the Lord is good in the context of community. There's something special about gathering together with friends over a feast. I know this pandemic has caused a lot of isolation, and that for the moment, due to health reasons, some cannot be there in person. I'm thankful and grateful to hear the stories of people gathering virtually, to feast together on how good God is.

And I wrap this up with this thought - not only did David taste and see that the Lord is good, he turned around and encouraged others to do the same. As you become more satisfied in the Lord, my prayer is that you would also become more inviting to others to come to taste and see that the Lord is good.

-Pastor Brian