Taste and See (What's in your mouth, part III)

I had a friend in college who every day, her husband ate 3 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast. His rational: "The act of eating is inefficient, so I get it out of the way all at once. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, 3 sandwiches, 20 minutes. Leaves me to not have to worry about it the rest of the day." As someone who's always loved the pageantry of a dinner party, the experience of a multi-coursed meal, I didn't get it. As a mom with kids who love food as much as I do, I understand it even less. Often, my 3 year old spends so much time enjoying something like ice cream, it turns to soup, and even then, he drinks it like a milkshake. "It's soooo good!" he'll often exclaim. The comparison struck me suddenly this week as my friend Crystal was giving me feedback on my last 2 posts.

"I am always in such a hurry to realize God's plan instead of enjoying the journey and it's timing," she confessed. It really bothered her, as we mused over the placement of our faith and the power of our words, that she has the right language, and total faith in His plan, but she wants the end result now!

Don't we all? We want to get to the healed part of the healing, the forgiven part of repentance, the other side of the valley of the shadow of death and begin our ascent up the mountain of blessing. Our microwave culture has us accustomed to instant results, and if God's perspective is reality, there's an even greater expectation that as we implement His principles, and follow His leading, our lives will immediately produce the desired results.

It can be so discouraging, then, to put into practice speaking life, put in the effort of eliminating speaking death and curses over our lives and have weeks, maybe months or a year or two go by, and not see all the fruit we'd hoped for, if we see any at all.

In those moments, it's easy to feel like our faith isn't good enough and the enemy starts pointing out all the places we're still "waiting on God." Soon, we stop enjoying the Word, and start efficiently fitting it into 5 minute devotionals, recognizing it's necessity in our lives, but not really expecting more than a feel good pep talk to get us through the day.

I wonder if this is why David admonished, "Taste and see that the LORD is good." (Psalm 34:18) Taste here means so much more than just consuming out of compulsion. It is savoring, taking time to extract every bit of goodness the Bread of Life offers. 

What does that look like?

It starts with recognizing glory. John Piper says, "The deepest longing of the human heart is to know and enjoy the glory of God. To see it, to savor it, and to show it- that is why we exist." (Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, pg 14) He quotes Isaiah 43:6-7 which says, "I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

You were created to encounter, revel in and reflect glory through relationship with the Father. It is difficult to find that resplendent beauty in a tight window which is easily encroached on by a late alarm, a blowout diaper or needing to get gas on the way to work. Make time to connect, really attach, to that longing as it will drive you to seek out opportunities to acknowledge and admire the Father's hand in everyday life.


Then, instead of rotely going through the motions, when engaged in spiritual disciplines, apply all your senses. I know a woman who starts every morning with scripture and taking communion. It's her way of awakening not just her eyes, but every sense to the presence of God.  Maybe for you, it's a specific candle you burn while journaling, or really taking in the smell of the air on your prayer walk. For me, it's dancing with flags during worship, where I focus not only on moving my arms, but my breath, my steps, and sometimes, the tears falling down my cheeks.

By creating a full body experience of worship, which the liturgical church has long practiced, we are forced to slow down, and that act alone, in many aspects of life, creates space to not only soak up more from our environment, but enjoy the time we spend there.

Finally, find or create a community centered on sharing God moments and faith lessons. Think of it as a divine potluck, everyone bringing what they've been feasting on. By sharing these revelations, we give ourselves and others the opportunity to consider that which we may have never been exposed to.

I am not Catholic, but last year, I started compiling prayers that saints wrote while alive. A favorite is that of St. Claude de la Columbierie, where he says, "If I have grievously offended You, My Redeemer, let me not offend you even more by thinking You are not kind enough to pardon me." For someone who deals with a lot of shame and guilt, it struck me in such a way that it knocked off the idea that I cannot forgive myself for my greatest sins and I was able to share that liberation with others.

In order to reap the harvest of our faith and experience the life that grows through the power of our words, we are to journey, ponder, experience life with God, and in that savoring, He will show Himself good, fulfilling in every way.