NewLife News: The Attributes of God - Goodness

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. Ps. 34:9, NIV

There are three parts to this verse that are actions on our part. They are:

• Taste: We are to taste. We are to put ourselves in a place to have a taste of the Lord’s goodness. Why taste? Tasting involves personal sensory experience. If the food is tasty, we want more and tell others about it. The same is true when something tastes bad, we are quick to tell others about it, unless of course, someone is hosting you for dinner. If that’s the case, good luck! David is telling us to experience, to take in and process that the Lord is good. He is good in character and good in what He does. 
• See: David then says that we need to see that the Lord is good. Seeing here is to understand, to personally comprehend that God is good. Then, once we have experienced and truly understood that He is good, David then tells us there’s a blessing available to us. That blessing is for those who not only taste and see, but take the next step after doing that. 
• Take refuge: This is the next step that David spoke of taking, once we’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is good. This step is going from tasting to engaging fully and entrusting our lives to the Lord Jesus. The blessing is having Jesus Himself in our lives! He blesses those who gladly (and in faith) go from a simple sampling of Him to wanting all of Him and to finding refuge in Him. This blessed refuge is for those who taste, see, and then keep pressing further in Him. There’s a sadness and lack of blessing for those who taste and see and stop there. There’s an even worse fate for those who refuse to even try to taste as well as for those who taste but refuse Him. 

This is all predicated on the fact that the Lord is good. If He weren’t good, there would be no reason to taste and see. There would be no point in trying to take refuge in Him. It’s His fundamental goodness that draws us to Him, enables us to trust Him, and to believe His love for us. 

Truly, God is good! All the time! 

Pastor Andy

Questions for reflection and conversation:

1. What’s a time that you have tasted the goodness of God?
2. In a cynical and unbelieving world, how can we help people see God’s goodness?
3. Why do you think David used the word “taste” about experiencing God’s goodness?

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