Taste and see...

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8 NIV)

This is a strange verse. How do we “…taste and see that LORD is good”? One of the ways that helps me break this verse down, as I think about it, is to meditate on what Jesus said as He shared the Passover meal with His disciples before His crucifixion.

As Jesus broke bread, He said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." (1 Corinthians 11:24 NKJV). Then, as He shared the cup of wine, He said, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." (1 Corinthians 11:25 NKJV). Here Jesus is offering something more than physical nourishment for the disciples. He is inviting them to ingest God’s promise of forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life through His death and resurrection… the very life of Christ.

Jesus’ is our refuge. He is the blood over the doorway of our hearts that repels the death angel. He is the ark that shields us from the floods that rage outside. He is our hope when all hope seems lost. He is our light in the darkness.

But we must taste of Him. In order to experience His “goodness” we must receive the bread and wine… His body broken and blood poured out for us. It is only when we taste His mercy, forgiveness, and love that we can truly see just how good He is and how blessed we are.

So many times, however, we want to pay our own way, or we choose not to come to the table because we feel unworthy. But God calls us to come, not because of our worthiness, but because of His great love. We do not earn this meal. It is given freely, and its benefits are only realized as we receive it as it is… a gift, undeserved and given out of unconditional love.

Partaking of this divine meal our souls are nourished as we are filled with the experiential knowledge that nothing can separate us from God’s love… not even our sins, failures, and unworthiness. It is His love that sustains us. It is His love that frees us from fear’s grip. It is His love that enables us to live as Christ in this world.

So, today, let’s come to the table of grace and receive the goodness of the Lord. Let’s remember His faithfulness, love, mercy, and forgiveness. Let’s remember that it’s because of His great love (and that only) that we have forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. He’s waiting for us. Will we wait on Him?

“WAIT and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing].”
(Isaiah 55:1 AMP).