Bible Reading: Psalm 34. 1 - 5,
I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame… …Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
A Thought
Over the past few weeks, we have been able to see more of the grandchildren, which has been a joy to us all. They had been introduced to our four hens on their first visit, but they were disappointed that at that stage there were no eggs no matter how many times they looked in the nesting box. More recently the hens have started laying, so on the last visit there was great enthusiasm at going to feed the hens and collect the eggs. When it came to lunchtime, there was more excitement at the prospect of eating some of the eggs they had collected.
Traditional soft-boiled eggs and toast soldiers were duly prepared for children and grandparents alike, but then came a moment of hesitation. This was clearly a new experience and carried uncertainty for the two small diners. Despite a demonstration of how to dip toast soldiers successfully into the egg, the younger grandchild refused his egg and quickly moved on to more familiar cheese with his toast. However, the older child tentatively tasted the egg and ate about a quarter.
The following day when asked what they wanted for lunch, our granddaughter asked enthusiastically for another boiled egg. This time she ate the whole egg with relish. She had clearly tasted it and decided that it was good! Even more so, because she had been involved in collecting it and cooking it. Her little face was a picture of joy and satisfaction.
God offers us a similar invitation to taste and see, but we can only do so by taking him at his word and actually doing so. If we don’t taste, we don’t see. The psalmist challenges us to seek after God, whether we are full of praise and thanksgiving or full of fear and affliction. Our first exploration might be cautious, but the more we experience the things of God the more we will recognise that God is good. He is worthy of our praise and honour, and those who look to him are radiant in the light of his presence.
A Prayer
I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be in my mouth. I sought the Lord and he answered me; he took away all my fears and shame.
Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together, for he is worthy to be praised. Amen.