Taste and see… See and taste… This describes the way to go with eating buffet meals. Is it not common sense that when deciding between ala carte or buffet options, you go around and see what dishes are offered on the buffet table? Have a look. and see, are the options worth the price of the buffet? If yes, then look again to see which ones seem delicious.. which ones u wanna try first. And so that I would not get full too soon, I get a little of each dish that I want to taste. If delicious, I might get more. If not, I can finish even if I don’t like.
Then I remember the phrase from Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
In the Christian life, faith is an essential element to the formula of taste and see. By faith, Abraham walked out in obedience to God’s calling; to leave his home; to go to a foreign place. He first tasted, then he saw the goodness of the Lord. When the Israelites were called to cross the Jordan, they had to step into the river; get their feet wet before God opened up a path for them. After the widow of Zarephath gave up her handful of flour and a little olive oil for Elijah, then she saw how God provided for her and her son throughout the famine.
Parents teaching young children to eat good healthy food encourage them to taste and see – taste it first before deciding whether it’s good or not. How often we miss God’s blessings for us because we did not want to taste?
The world’s order is different. To see is to believe. Show me first before I buy. God’s children are called to live in the world but not of the world. We get to taste and see God’s goodness for us when we step out in faith. We are to be light and salt in the world – showing people around us – to come and taste and see that the Lord is good so they know that blessed is the one who takes refuge in the Lord.
Psalm 34
Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.
1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
Even Christians, even good Christians are not exempted from troubles. The promise is God delivers them through it all. To deliver does not mean that God takes us out of the fire. He promised to be with us in the fire. To protect all our bones that none of them is broken does not mean that there is no pain or suffering. It means that His grace strengthens our faith – to stand firm amidst the trials.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned
