O Taste and see that the Lord is Good

What does it mean to taste and see that the Lord is good? Our taste buds are designed to teach us to appreciate God. And our physical needs like hunger and thirst teach us about our spiritual needs.

John 7:37-38 [. . . “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”] John 6:35 [Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.] He was saying that those who were seeking for physical bread should instead be seeking for satisfaction in Him. We have spiritual needs—for forgiveness, comfort, assurance, and hope—which can only be met by God. Jesus is our true Bread and true water, the pearl of great price, and the hidden treasure.

But our God is not a simple God; in Him, different attributes are juxtaposed. Romans 11:22 [Behold the kindness and severity of God . . .] This is where we see that our own taste buds are designed to enjoy God. We cannot enjoy too much of the pure sour taste of lemon, nor the pure bitterness of Cacao powder, nor the pure sweetness of sugar. Our taste buds teach us how we can know Him in His complexity. Complexity in taste makes our food delicious. Blend the sourness of lemon juice and the sweetness of sugar together in a lemonade for our tongues to enjoy a great taste. So, it is with chocolate made by juxtaposing the bitter Cacao powder with sugar, and maybe some milk. Beauty, in taste and sight is found in what is complex, and not simple.

A painting of a scenery that captivates our imagination is beautiful because of the contrasts—of darkness and light, smoothness of water and rough mountains, dullness and brilliance, large items and small details, and so on—that come together as a beautiful picture. Large items and small details. The heavens declare the glory of God, and one way is by showing us beauty.

So also, it is with what we hear. We could say: Taste and see and hear that the Lord is good. We may enjoy a person’s singing, but the song is taken to a different level when harmony is introduced. When a cello accompanies a violin in an orchestra, together they bring out the beauty of the piece more fully because of the complexity of the depth of sound.

We admire traits like physical strength in people, but even more so when the right traits are juxtaposed. For example, we believe people are better when physical strength is juxtaposed with kindness and mercy. We love to see the same Jesus, who drove away the money changers in the temple in anger, taking children in His arms and blessing them.

David in the Psalms challenges us to see that our God is the most beautiful, glorious, and wonderful person ever. We get a taste for God from Psalm 34, a psalm that speaks of the greatness of God and His goodness.

Psalm 34:4-7 [I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them.] Fear is the most debilitating of all emotions. What is it that people fear the most? We fear the impending judgement of a holy God against whom we have sinned and whom we have not honoured as King. But He delivered us from all our fears. The Lord Jesus came to earth, led a perfect life and died for us, taking on Himself all the anger of God that should have fallen on us, so that all who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life. He counted His righteousness to us and imputed our sin to Himself. Psalm 32:2 [How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity . . .]

Psalm 34:17-19 [When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.] The Lord’s tender-hearted mercy reminds us of the Prodigal son, who is expecting to see judgement. But even before he finishes his practiced speech, he is met by the Father’s tender-hearted mercy, ready to forgive and restore relationship. This is our God, who comforts us, as we read in 2 Cor 1:4 [who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.] He is gentle with us and we are not condemned because of the blood of Christ, and because His mercy covers us. Psalm 34:22 [The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.] We need to taste and see that He is good.

But our God is not “simply” kind and merciful, and “merely” loving. Psalm 34:16 [The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.] We are reminded of Romans 11:22 [Behold the kindness and severity of God . . .] Our God is righteous and hates evil. He is holy. Do we fear God? Psalm 34:21 [Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.] We see God burning in His anger against sin and we need to fear Him. Seeing both His kindness and severity, we are able to appreciate His beauty. Our God is a complex and perfectly balanced Being, and we are created to see that He is good, and are designed to appreciate His beauty, made to come to Him in humility and magnify Him.

Psalm 34:3 [Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!] Our Lord is majestic. He is the Lion of Judah. Yet, He is meek and mild—the Lamb of God—silent before His tormentors. He condescended to take on flesh and be sacrificed on the cross. May we be overwhelmed when we consider His glory. May the peace that passes all understanding be ours. May our hope be in Him as we walk in the path set for us. May the joy of salvation overflow in our hearts and cause us to share the gospel message with others.