“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8)

“taste”? – isn’t that an odd thing for the psalmist to say about God – to taste Him? Perhaps it’s metaphorical. Maybe it implies giving God a chance, trying Him out to see who He really is or maybe testing Him before trusting Him. In other words, taste before swallowing whole or devouring. Good advice. But how do I taste God? I propose that I can do this through reading God’s Word. After all, Jesus said –

“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

So God’s Word is like food to me, God’s Word sustains me just as food does. In fact, in Deuteronomy I read –

“They are not just idle words for you – they are your life.” (Deuteronomy 32:47)

Interesting that Jesus is the Word that gives life –

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

and Jesus is also the bread that gives life –

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

So I can taste Him and see if He indeed is good. I can partake of The Bread – the bread broken for me that I might live. Jesus’s own words explain this –

“And He (Jesus) took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ ” (Luke 22:19)

Jesus is the Bread of Heaven, like the manna God gave the Israelites every morning during their days in the desert. The Israelites were able to “taste and see that God is good” new every morning. You and I can too. We can read His word, new every morning, and let it fill us up with the strength, wisdom and love we will need to meet the challenges of the day. Jesus is the bread that satisfies my soul. Jesus told His disciples as much when He said this to them –

“Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. . . . I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:32-33 & 51)

The psalmist knew what it was to “taste” God through His word. Must be why he wrote these words in Psalm 119 –

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

God’s Living Word – “sharper than any double-edged sword” – the daily bread that sustains me and gives me life – also satisfies my sweet tooth! Who knew? Thank You, Heavenly Father for Your Living Word. Your words truly are life to me. All I have to do is to taste them, to know that You are good!

sincerely, Grace Day