Taste and See

I know it's been a while since I've written anything here, and I apologize for that. I love writing, and normally it helps me work through things and process them. I also love sharing my thoughts and heart with y'all. Lately, it seems when I try to write, nothing comes; I have nothing worth saying. (Not true, I have plenty worth saying.) Sometimes it's just hard to say the things that actually matter. I'm going to try harder to post more often.

In the world we live in, sometimes it can be hard to see God at work and through His work. Sometimes it's even hard to see that God is good. A while back, I prayed and asked God to help me see His goodness around me every day and to see that He is always, always good because I was struggling with that.

Last month, one Friday morning as I was doing my devotions, one of the verses for the day was Psalm 34:8: "Taste and see that the Lord is good." For some reason, that particular verse really hit and stood out to me. Then that Saturday morning, as I was doing my reading plan on the Bible app, the same verse was used. That verse has stayed on my mind and heart since I read it those two mornings.

I don't think it's a coincidence that that verse was in my reading two days in a row during my morning time with God. I absolutely love it when this happens, as often I find something there that I've needed to study and learn from, or that's super interesting. So, what does it mean to taste and see that God is good?

There is an old Jewish tradition that when a young child (normally a boy, especially in Orthodox and other strict branches of Judaism) starts attending religious school, it is marked by a beautiful symbolic ceremony. Hebrew letters that represent the entire Torah (the five books of Moses) are written out on a slate or another surface, and then honey is poured onto the letters. The child is then encouraged to lick the honey off the letters. This practice is deeply symbolic. The Hebrew letters stand for the Torah and, by extension, all other Jewish learning and the mitzvah of Talmud Torah. Mitzvah: a commandment, a good deed done from religious duty. Talmud Torah: Jewish law and lore, poetry, philosophy, and mystical speculation. It includes all the ways they seek to discern God's teachings in their lives. The Talmud is also a record of rabbinic debates. The act of tasting the honey signifies the sweetness of God's words and commands. This tradition draws directly from Psalm 119:103: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Just a little something I learned about during my time involved in Judaism.

Do we taste, or do we quickly gulp or choke it down to a point we don't have a chance to savor the flavor? Do we see and look, or do we quickly scan or glance and look away blindly?

I think this verse is also speaking of spiritual nourishment in some sense. His Word should be sweet to the taste, sweet as honey. It's also part of how we get our spiritual bread. As Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 "People do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God". Jesus is the Bread of Life. So if you think about it, it's Manna, our Manna from heaven. We must also use our eyes to read these words of life and then see that we follow them. We also get to see the sweet wonders of our Creator by looking around us at the beautiful world He created. We use our eyes to read the example that Jesus set for us in the Bible. We can use our eyes to see the examples of other godly people, and others will use their eyes to watch our example. Will they see Jesus through us?

Are we actually tasting, savoring, seeing, opening our eyes? I know sometimes I don't. I think we are all guilty of this at some point or another. Sometimes it means we have to slow down, make time, because we always make time in our life for what's important to us. So if we don't have time to taste and see... what are our priorities? Whether it's when we get up or before we go to bed, we should spend time with God. Matthew 6:33 encourages us to "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else".

There are several verses in the Bible that talk about tasting and seeing that God is good. When the Bible says something several times, it's important to pay attention. When Jesus went back to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to His disciples. We still have access to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a great way of spiritually tasting the goodness of God. Using the Holy Spirit as a guide and a tool, when we study, ponder, pray, and read His word. His presence is real, it's close, it's here. What a sweet feeling! It's joy and love; it brings comfort.

Just like a Jewish child's first taste of Torah is made sweet by the taste of honey, our connection and experience with God is made sweet by the Holy Spirit. Both are a way of "tasting"; it is like a sensory experience that leaves a lasting impression or feeling. I'm not sure how else to explain it. Through the spiritual sweetness of the Holy Spirit, we are invited to savor the goodness of God in a way that touches the heart, mind, and soul.

The first time I experienced the Holy Spirit was before I was a Christian. I wasn't yet sure what I believed, but I did attend church as it was a safe haven for my mom and me both at the time. I think if I remember correctly, my mom may have already given her life to Jesus, and I still didn't know what to think. I remember that Saturday evening service I was struggling, hard. Fighting tears and fighting pain. I needed something and wasn't sure what. I was heartbroken, though I can't remember quite why. In the middle of worship, I felt the biggest hug anyone could ask for. No one was hugging me! But I felt warm arms, warm air. It was like I was wrapped in a warm, heated, soft, cushiony blanket. Only much better than that. The best hug, it was tight and comforting. It was like nothing I have ever experienced in my life. I felt lighter after. Like every hurt was taken from me. The presence, though at the time confusing to me, was a sweet, comforting wave washing over me. I felt at peace, I felt a bubble of joy, I felt warmth surround me. I felt safe, protected, and loved.

At the beginning of this year, I went with the young adults from my church to the Passion conference in Atlanta, Georgia for 2024! It was life-changing and life-breathing. It was powerful, it was moving, it was so much. But God used it to grow me and change me. I'll never forget it. I believe it was the second day (possibly the third and last day instead). We were worshipping God; His presence was definitely there. The man who was speaking was praying and asking God to bring His Spirit down for us to experience. Prayer was going up, worship. I had a moment. I felt warm air swish through. I could feel the presence, the same presence that I felt that night at church when I needed a hug. Only this time it was stronger. It was sweet, light, and full of joy. I felt as it brushed past me that I was being wrapped in love. I heard the words "I love you, you are my daughter." These were words I needed to hear. I struggle seeing God as a Father, seeing Him as a loving Father. There was a sweet smell to my nose too.

Sometimes when I'm reading the Bible and I find something that excites me or that I hadn't seen before, I feel a warm, sweet, bubbling brook inside and around me. Sometimes it's like a breath; other times it's like a soft breeze.

Romans 8:26-27 says "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will."

God's word, the words He spoke and His presence, are sweeter than honey. Taste the sweetness and engage deeply with your faith in Jesus, finding sweetness, joy, and delight on your journey.

To experience this more fully, consider setting aside dedicated time each day to read and meditate on Scripture. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you and reveal God's goodness in your life. Reflect on and write down moments when you’ve felt God’s presence or seen His work around you.

How have you experienced the goodness of God in your life? What practices help you stay connected to His presence? I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments below.

Much love,

Esther