Psalm 34
“Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Ps. 34:8). In this psalm, David has an encouragement to the reader to actually experience God’s goodness. He doesn’t want the reader to just take David’s word for it. He wants the reader to actually get a taste of God’s goodness. Tasting and seeing are two of the five senses that we as humans use to experience the material world. If you are anything like me, my favorite sense is tasting. A good-tasting homemade chocolate chip cookie brings satisfaction and contentment to my life. Likewise, getting a taste of God’s goodness in my life ought to bring satisfaction and contentment as well.
To taste and see the goodness of God, you must trust in Him. To experience, and therefore enjoy, God’s protection, defense, provision, graciousness, mercy, love, and goodness you must trust Him. David had tasted and seen God’s goodness in his deliverance from his troubles.
A major way that I experience God’s goodness is when I take a step of faith in full reliance on Him. When I have no strength in and of myself I see God move in my life for His own glory. My heart is that you would say yes to God and put yourself in situations to taste and see that He is good.
The last thing to talk about here is that we don’t base our relationship with Jesus solely on feelings and experiences. We must also know that He is Good and trust in what the Bible reveals about God. Some of the most intimate times I have had with God lately have been when I am sitting and meditating on a truth about Him. Recently, I have been thinking about how Jesus satisfied the full wrath of God for my sins. Pondering the pain and suffering he endured on the cross to reconcile me to Himself fills my heart with gratitude. We can always gain more knowledge about who God is and we can always deepen the knowledge that we already have about God, but my heart for you is that you would richen the knowledge you have of God. This is where the simple truths of Christ settle deeply in your heart expanding your love for Jesus.