Tag Archives: love

What does God taste like?

02 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by in Psalm 34, Psalms

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Reading:                                     Psalm 34

 (Verses 8-14)

Taste and see that the LORD is good;     

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Fear the LORD, you his holy people,     

for those who fear him lack nothing.

The lions may grow weak and hungry,     

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Come, my children, listen to me;     

I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life     

and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil     

and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good;     

seek peace and pursue it. (NIV)

 Reflection

What a strange command! David begins this portion of Psalm 34 by urging us to “Taste and see that the LORD is good.”

One can logically argue that of the five senses taste is the most intimate. I can see, hear, and even smell someone at a distance. Touch of course requires direct contact, but to taste someone or something, I must take it or them into my mouth. That’s intimate.

How then do I, “Taste and see that the LORD is good?” If I can’t see, hear, smell or touch the LORD, how can I possibly taste Him? David goes on to state, “Blessed is the one who takes refuge in him [the LORD]. Notice David did not say we are blessed if we take refuge with the LORD. We are to take refuge in Him. That requires a higher level of intimacy—a marital kind of intimacy.

communion

Do I taste and see that the LORD is good? Do I take refuge in Him? Do I actively seek God? John Ortberg in his book Know Doubt tells us that C.S. Lewis said that speaking of man’s search for God always sounded to him like speaking of the mouse’s search for the cat. The mouse hides from the cat because he fears the cat may require his life. We avoid God for the same reason. If you find God, He may ask for your life. Are you willing to give it up to Him?

But Jesus was willing to give his life for you. He willingly suffered, bled and died on a cross so that you might have eternal life. The big cat—the Lion of the Tribe of Judah—lay down his life for the mouse, even a mangy mouse like me. That’s real love. Now Jesus invites us to come and dine. Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them” (John 6:54-56).

Response: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus. Thank you, Jesus for laying down your life for me. Now I can truly taste and see that the LORD is good. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you seek God or avoid Him? Why?

Surprised by a Valentine at Christmas

14 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by in Valentines

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This is a one-day, St. Valentines Day departure from my usual psalms posting.

About two weeks before Christmas I got a valentine from an admirer—a thirteen-year-old girl. I was delighted. You might even say I was tickled pink about it. Now as you may have guessed, since it was delivered before Christmas this was not planned as a valentine. It was actually a language arts assignment about her favourite poem done for her grade eight teacher. But in her assignment, Esther (not her real name) expressed her love for me. I think her words say it best:

Last year when I was in grade seven my homeroom teacher was Mr. Kitz. I loved him as a teacher; he was funny, smart and loved to tell us stories like none of my other teachers did. He was one of the only teachers who could actually keep our class quiet and entertained us while teaching. He also is a Christian like me. He said he went to my church a long time ago; I felt so happy to be in his class.

This sixty-one-year-old retired teacher was thrilled to be shown a little love. I was quite amazed that I left such a positive impression on Esther, especially since she was only in my class for six weeks. To be completely truthful I had forgotten her name. But she remembered me.

Isn’t that what we all want? We all want to be remembered; we want to be shown a little love. We want to be surprised by a little love.

Of course love comes most often to those who show love. In the rush of life and our hunger to receive love, we can forget to give it–to show it to others, whether we consider them deserving or not.

Last Friday, I paid a surprise visit to Esther’s class. I told the class a story or two and then I thanked Esther for her kind words. She was unaware that her assignment had been forwarded to me by her homeroom teacher. Needless to say, she was tickled pink. I could see that by her smile and her dancing eyes. I remembered her. I surprised her with a little love.

May the love of God be shed abroad in your heart today.

Your Turn: Who can you surprise with a little love today, tomorrow or six weeks from now?