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Monday, December 19, 2005
"Tasting of the Lord's Goodness"
"Taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8). "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2,3).
This last Saturday I took my Amish neighbor Jesse on some errands and Moses, his two-year-old son accompanied us. Jesse and his wife Anna Ruth have become our friends these last several years. It was such a special blessing to have them attend my Mom's memorial service last month and they drove over to our church in their horse and buggy, which my Mom would have just loved.
At this time of year appetizing treats abound just about everywhere and we were at a business that had what appeared to be frosted cookies available on the counter. We all took one and as I began to eat it I quickly noted it was not a sweet cookie at all but rather some type of mini-croissant with a very distinct fishy tasting spread that I had mistaken for frosting. My taste buds were shocked but I adjusted to the taste (likely a salmon spread) and was able to enjoy the rest of it.
But I sure got a kick out of watching Moses eat the cookie. He nibbled away at it with a quizzical look as if he was thinking, "This sure doesn't taste like the cookies my Mom makes." However he did slowly eat it all. Perhaps he was hungry and watching his dad and I he determined it must be OK to eat it. Or perhaps he really liked the taste!
Spiritual appetite is an issue we deal with as Christians. "Taste and see that the LORD is good." There is a phase when our appetite is great. The things of God are new to us and we just can't seem to get enough. However as we grow older in our Christian walk and become more familiar with spiritual realities many will testify to a declining appetite.
The Apostle Peter has a powerful word for all believers in today's passage. A healthy newborn has a ravenous appetite. Peter calls his readers to have this same appetite, "crave pure spiritual milk." The underlying Greek word translated "crave" means "to intensely crave, to desire greatly."
I hope all readers have "tasted that the Lord is good." May we all have a continuing healthy appetite for the things of the Lord and persist in tasting of the Lord's perpetual goodness. Our Lord said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." This season especially let us remember His grace and mercy demonstrated to us in the incarnation and never lose the awe of such wondrous love as this.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
PS: Some readers may be aware that the Amish are opposed to having their photos taken. However they are not (at least the ones we associate with) opposed to photos of their children and actually appreciate me taking them since they don't have cameras. However they do not consider it appropriate to take photos of them as adults.
Brooksyne left early this morning for an appointment with Ester and was unable to share prayer.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.
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