Jonathan Munson, Executive Director, RFTH
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”
Psalm 34:8
Nothing is more glorious than seeing the Krispy Crème Doughnuts “Hot Now” sign light up the night sky.
It beckons one and all to come and taste the doughnuts as they emerge from their warm stream of sugary glaze. Granted, they may not be good for you, but they are, oh, so unbelievably good!
When eating something as delicious as a hot Krispy Kreme, it’s natural to want to share it with others. We can’t help it! Why? Because the goodness is simply too good to keep to ourselves.
In Psalm 34, David has tasted something even better than a Krispy Kreme: the goodness of God. And he couldn’t wait to tell everyone about it.
Having been delivered from a truly harrowing experience (1 Samuel 21:10-2:1), David is now exploding in praise and gratitude in Psalm 34. He has experienced a fresh encounter with the goodness of God and invites believers and non-believers alike to come and taste it for themselves. In other words, David turns on the “Hot Now” sign.
It’s important to remember that David is not talking about our fractured, limited conception of goodness but rather, Divine goodness. You see, God’s goodness is perfect. It’s the purest form imaginable and infinitely superior to any earthly form of goodness. Simply put, His goodness is the best there is.
So, why would anyone not want to taste it?
We can see God’s goodness in many ways: the beauty of creation, His provision, the natural order of the world, a smile from a loved one, etc. The list is endless. But if we genuinely want to taste the fullness of God’s goodness, we must come to Jesus because He is the supreme expression of God’s goodness.
When we trust in Jesus for salvation, our souls taste the sweetness of His life-changing goodness. And when that happens, just like David, our lips are eager to share what we’ve experienced.
So, if all this talk about God’s goodness seems a little abstract, ask yourself, “Have I ever tasted the goodness of God?”
Maybe you understand the concept of God’s goodness in your mind, but you’ve never allowed it to saturate your heart. This is the equivalent of reading about the scrumptious delight of a Krispy Kreme doughnut but never taking a bite. (How tragic!) Indeed, secondhand knowledge is a poor substitute for firsthand experience.
Won’t you come and taste His goodness for the first time?
Or maybe you’ve tasted it in the past, but you need to take a new bite, so to speak. Let me remind you that the goodness of God is a bottomless well filled with countless delights waiting to be enjoyed. There is always more to taste.
Won’t you come and taste His goodness again?
Or perhaps life has caused you to question God’s goodness. Maybe you’ve walked a difficult road and wondered, “Where is this so-called goodness of God?”
Be careful not to grow cynical, my friend. The enemy would like nothing more than to get you to conclude that God is not good.
Consider David’s circumstances when he wrote these words. He was on the run, fearing for his life, and didn’t know if he’d survive another day. Yet, when his life was anything but good, David still declared, “The Lord is good.”
David discovered that God’s goodness can sustain you through the worst seasons of your life.
But don’t take David’s word for it.
If you’re suffering, by all means, come and taste His goodness for yourself!
DIG DEEPER
Read “What Does it Mean to Taste and See That the Lord is Good?” at GotQuestions.org
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