Taste and See

It was my husband’s birthday. We were celebrating in the usual fashion with a family get-together. The grandbabies ran around the den, playing and scattering toys everywhere, giggling and creating the normal chaos of a room full of toddlers.

I keep a small folding children’s table in my playroom for the kids to eat at when they visit. I typically bring it into the den when we are ready to eat.

I knew it was getting close to naptime for the littles. We needed to go ahead and eat and let my husband open his gifts. But the casserole wasn’t ready yet.

I decided to reverse our usual order of events and have him blow out the candles on his cake and open his gifts first, and by then the casserole would be ready. We could eat cake after we ate lunch.

Two-year-old Haven studied the mound of chocolate as I lit the candles on the cake. She looked up at me and with an impish grin. She knew what cake was. Chocolate had earned her approval on previous birthday gatherings.

I carried the cake over to Denny while everyone sang “Happy Birthday.” But Haven was nowhere to be seen. She had disappeared into the playroom. We called for her to come back to the den, and as she rounded the corner, the room erupted into laughter.

Her tiny little body was struggling, but she was making it happen!  She staggered into the den, lugging that children’s table into the room all by herself. She was eager for a piece of that cake!

She had tasted cake, knew how good it was, and was eager to have some more! She was willing to put forth some effort for that cake!

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed in the one who takes refuge in him,” (Psalm 34:8).

When we taste of the goodness of God, it should put a desire in us for more of Him. When the Holy Spirit directs a specific Scriptural truth to our heart, it should make us want to make an effort to pull up to the table of God’s Word for some more. Even if it’s a bit of a struggle, we will make it happen.

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

Sweeter than chocolate cake. Pull up a table and see.

Reflect:

Are you willing to put forth an effort to read your Bible and spend time with God? Maybe get up a little earlier or block of part of your day as “appointment” with Him?

Think of a particular Scripture that has especially ministered to your heart. There is more of that to be found. What is keeping you from pulling up a table to taste some more?

Dear God, Your Word feeds my soul and ministers to my needs. It is living and active to reach places in my heart that I didn’t know needed changing. Help me to discipline myself to spend time in Your Word every day, even when it takes effort on my part. Amen.