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Taste and See

By Matthew Hernandez

Taste and see that the Lord is good. —Psalm 34:8 NIV

Something happens to me when the weather starts to turn cooler toward the end of the year. The leaves start changing, and I use words like “brisk” to describe the mornings. And it’s not because I particularly like pumpkins, candles, or the cool weather that the season brings. My love for fall is centered around one thing: beef bourguignon. That’s right, a meal. This is a dish my wife prepares during the fall months, and it’s honestly my favorite thing in the world. Oftentimes we cook it together, dicing the onions and chopping the mushrooms while the smell of sizzling olive oil lingers throughout our kitchen. After we’ve chopped the beef into one-inch cubes, we throw all the ingredients in a Dutch oven, along with a bottle of red cooking wine, and let it marinate overnight. The next evening, as the dish is served over a perfectly toasted slice of sourdough bread, I get to experience my first delicious bite of the season. In that moment, I savor the labor of our work from the evening before, and that first taste of pure goodness takes over my whole being. Yes, it really is that good! I can feel it in my soul, and it does my soul good.

Psalm 34:8 instructs us, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Taste is about the full engagement of our senses. This Scripture invites us to experience, with everything we are, that the Lord is good. It invites us not to take someone else’s word for it but to discover it for ourselves—to experience His goodness and to participate in it.

Have you ever been to a great movie, a great restaurant, or somewhere else where you had a great experience? Did you keep those experiences to yourself? No. Chances are, you told your family and friends so they could experience it as well. As followers of Jesus, the same is true for us. Because we have tasted and seen, whether, through victories or trials, we can look back and see God’s goodness in our life.

I love that Jesus says in John 15:4, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (NIV). When we remain in Jesus, whether through Scripture, prayer, or worship, we get the opportunity to “taste and see” on a regular basis. But this experience doesn’t just change the life inside us; it also changes the culture around us. Jesus didn’t come to earth just to teach us how to get to heaven. He came to show us a new way to live, a way in which we can show people what heaven looks like here on earth. And the more we remain—or abide—in Jesus, the more His Spirit produces fruit in us. And the more of that sweet and appealing fruit we display to the people around us, the more opportunities they have to “taste and see” just how good the Lord who lives within you and me is.

Think about your coworkers, classmates, friends, and neighbors. Is there anyone whose life would change if they experienced the love of Jesus? What would happen if we lived our lives in such a way that pointed others to experience God’s grace, love, and mercy for themselves? Then they, too, could experience with their whole being just how good the God of the universe is.

Friends, may you remain in the love of God. May you taste and see His goodness with your heart and soul, and may this experience give you the courage to live a life that points others to experience Him as well!

Prayer

God, Your Word says in Psalm 119:68, “You are good, and what You do is good.” Thank You for being such a wonderful Father who cares for His children in both big and small ways. Help us to turn hearts toward You as we experience Your perfect love. May we honor You as we share the joy of knowing You with the people You bring into our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For Further Reflection

1. When was the last time you experienced the goodness of God? How did this experience change you?
2. Which individuals in your life right now do you want to “taste and see that the Lord is good”? Begin praying for God to show you ways that you can be a light in those people’s lives and show them glimpses of heaven.

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