Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8
One of the many unexpected challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic is that we were no longer able to enjoy the fellowship of eating out. I must admit at first cooking at home with my family had its excitement, curiosities and even it’s charms. But after a while we missed delicious restaurant cuisines along with the refuge and reprieve from constantly cooking.
Food is an essential part of life. Our sense of taste is the way we experience culinary pleasures. Our sense of taste starts developing in the womb and by just 9 weeks of pregnancy babies have tiny tastes buds[1]. Humans can detect sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savory tastes[2]. This ability allows us to determine if foods are safe or harmful to eat. When food is good, the experience of tasting something divine is a blessing.
So, perhaps this is why David, the Psalmist, encouraged us to compare our relationship with God to tasting something good. Through life’s triumphs and trials, pleasures and pains we experience sweet, sour, salty, and bitter moments, yet we can savor the knowledge that God is still good. Here at Sligo Church, we can be blessed and be a blessing, because despite the difficulties of life, God is our Divine Refuge. We, as a family are pregnant with possibilities; we can give God excellent praise even in our pain.
So, when the bitterness of sickness or death comes to your loved ones, know that there is hope and sweet peace beyond this hardship. You can rely on God; He is your emotional refuge. When people you encounter are sour and have a nasty attitude, you can remember the goodness of God and celebrate that every person is not like this one. When you are working from home and have had a long difficult day and your spouse or children are salty because they have their own issues, trust that God will bless despite the mess. When your circumstances become bitter or burdened, do not despair. We all can find refuge even in the distasteful flavors of life if we trust in God’s goodness and rest assured in His bountiful blessings. Let God’s menu minister to you today. “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is Good!”
[1] Dana Dubinsky, “Baby Sensory Development: Taste”. Baby Center, Retrieved from: https://www.babycenter.com/baby/baby-development/baby-sensory-development-taste_10401107, Accessed on May 16, 2021
[2] What to Know About Your Sense of Taste. Healthline. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-taste#bottom-lineE. Accessed on May 16, 2021