Psalms 34:8 AMP
O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.
The Context and Focus:
We read the words of the man David, who God testified to as a man after His heart. It has to be noted that it was not as if David was perfect by man's standards, but he was a man helped by God every step of the way. His sins, faults, mistakes, efforts, lifestyle and actions all defined who he was. God knew that the heart of David always sought after Him, so He was willing and ready to do all He could for David. Right from a young man in obscurity at the far end of the desert where he was keeping sheep, to dealing with bears and lions who came after the sheep, and to facing the giant Goliath and other enemies, you would find that David enjoyed a seemingly endless supply of grace for the journey of life that God was leading him through. Even when he made mistakes, God did not withdraw His grace. He punished David for the wrong things he did, but as the bible records, His steadfast love was not taken away, as God did with Saul.
The Message:
This same David asks us to come and taste what he has already experienced. He speaks from a place of personal encounter with God, having seen the value and benefits knowing and following God can give to a person. I wonder why the word 'taste' is used. Taste is a function tied to the mouth, which means that whatever is tasted has to be processed and confirmed as genuine by taking it in, feeling all the condiments used to make the food, the balance between all the ingredients, and the fact that it fully satisfies the pangs of hunger that was felt before the food was eaten. There is also the medicinal value that the good food gives you. All of the above go on to prove that indeed, God can be felt so personally like the food that is tasty. He asks me to take of him, eat of him, process all that makes Him who he is, enjoy the benefits He gives, and then show Him off to other people as the One who can truly satisfy.
The Conclusion:
The verse above concludes by saying that the man who takes refuge in God is truly blessed. As always, this is where the consequences and the power of freewill come to the fore. God makes an offer to every one of us, making it clear what we stand to gain if we come to Him, and also making it clear what we stand to lose if we don't. God does not hide anything that will help us make the right decision from us, but that choice belongs to us. I can decide to run into God as my refuge, or I can take refuge in other alternatives such as finances, power, position, privilege or possessions. Those who run into God are truly safe, and even when they do wrong like David, as long as they run back to Him, He shows mercy and restores fully. The world is a complex place; I need the One who is Lord and Master over all to help me. He waits for you. What is your decision? God's time of favour is here.
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