Come and Taste the Lord
Psalms 34:4-10; 119:81-104
Jim Davis
Try to imagine a person who loves to study recipes for delicious
foods. The person becomes a collector of recipes. Thousands of
recipes are collected from all over the world. You look at a
recipe and ask, “How does this taste?” The reply is “Oh, I am
not a cook, I am only a collector of recipes, but I believe it
would make a great meal.”
Too often this is true with life and our relationship with God.
We only collect ideas about God. Our ideas about God are used to
build a belief system about God. Yet, we have never really
tasted God. We have the recipe for knowing God personally—for a
better life, the recipe to salvage our lives in whatever
circumstances we fine ourselves, but we have never tasted God.
The heroes of the Bible approach God in a more personal way. The
psalmist invites us to; “Taste and see that life with the Lord
is good . . .” Listen to the psalmist:
Psalms 34:4-10
4 I sought the LORD, and he
answered me;
he delivered me from all my
fears.
5 Those who look to him are
radiant;
their faces are never covered
with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the
LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his
troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is
good;
blessed is the man who takes
refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack
nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and
hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack
no good thing. NIV
The psalmist invites us to come and “Taste and see that the LORD
is good . . .” We are invited to experience God’s presence. The
psalmist is not a collector of ideas about God—he is a poor man
seeking to taste what he believes about God. He is calling upon
God. He is experiencing deliverance from all his fears. He is
experiencing God’s salvation in troublesome times. His shame is
covered despite his failure. He is experiencing refuge in God
and feeling the presence of the angels encamping around him.
The psalmist isn’t alluding to some far off plan of God to save
the human race. He is in the very midst of seeking God and
experiencing salvation. He is receiving God’s blessed answers as
he writes the psalm. He is speaking of how God is delivering him
from his precarious circumstances. In other words, he is getting
a real taste of God. It results in him falling in love with God
as he tastes God’s personal deliverance.
Meditating On God’s Ways
Throughout the book of Psalms we discover those meditating upon
God’s way rejoicing as they study God’s word. They rejoice as
they experience the fulfillment of his word in their lives. And
at times the psalmist is lamenting. It seems as though God is
absence. You see, they are not studying just to know about God.
They are seeking to see God’s activity in their personal lives.
They are studying to understand how God is moving in their
circumstances or how they think he should be moving. Sometimes
we find them questioning why God is allowing them to be in less
than ideal circumstances. They are seeking to understand God’s
deliverance—or how his deliverance will come—or if it will come.
I want you to listen to the psalmist as he is anxiously seeking
God’s deliverance. Notice how he questions God’s seemingly slow
response. As you read this psalm notice—the salvation the
psalmist seeks is not some far off plan of God.
Psalms 119:81-88
My soul faints with longing for
your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your
word.
82 My eyes fail, looking for your
promise;
I say, "When will you comfort
me?"
83 Though I am like a wineskin in
the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.
84 How long must your servant
wait?
When will you punish my
persecutors?
85 The arrogant dig pitfalls for
me,
contrary to your law.
86 All your commands are
trustworthy;
help me, for men persecute me
without cause.
87 They almost wiped me from the
earth,
but I have not forsaken your
precepts.
88 Preserve my life according to
your love,
and I will obey the statutes of
your mouth. NIV
He is seeking to see God move in his undesirable circumstances.
The psalmist questions why it is taking so long to experience
God’s deliverance. I want you to listen to his reaction as he
experiences God’s deliverance. And notice how it deepens his
commitment to follow God’s word more closely than ever.
Psalms 119:103-104
103 How sweet are your words to
my taste ,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from
your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong
path. NIV
Biblical writers are merely studying God’s law and mediating on
God’s ways as he moves—or doesn’t seem to move in their lives.
This is the personal message they seek to share with the reader.
Their words reveal how they personalize God’s word as they seek
to taste God. Their journals are simply sharing their experience
of God with us.
Experiencing God for Ourselves
We often take a scripture and fit it into a belief system about
God without ever using the scripture to experience God for
ourselves. For example we may look at Psalms 2:1-11 as only a
Messianic psalm. I wonder if the writer sees the psalm as we see
it today. We may understand the Messianic overtones, but it is
being written in David’s personal journal. Is David only penning
these words for future generations—or do the words have a very
special meaning and application to him personally?
No doubt the psalm is about his personal experience and beliefs
about God. David never has a clear vision of the total
ramifications of the messianic implications. We understand the
messianic ramifications much clearer than David. Yet, David sees
a sovereign God who rules in heaven and on earth telling him:
“You are my son . . . ask of me, and I will shatter the nations
who rage against you to pieces . . . you will be blessed if you
take refuge in me.” We may only see the psalms application to
Christ. Yet, it was overflowing with personal meaning for David
as he wrote the psalm.
The questions are: What meaning does the second psalm have for
me? Is it only a fulfilled Messianic prophecy? Was all the
meaning squeezed out of these words with the coming of Christ?
Or does God still sit in the heavens laughing our enemies into
derision as we take refuge in him? Do I look at how David’s
experience of God led him to write this psalm without realizing
the words offer me the very same confidence in God?
It is absolutely important to know what we believe, but only
knowing about God without seeking, experiencing and tasting
God’s personal deliverance is a recipe for disaster. We cannot
understand God’s plan to salvage the world until we get a real
taste of God for ourselves. Evangelism is not about sharing our
doctrines with the lost; it is about sharing God’s presence with
those he already loves. It begins with us tasting God for
ourselves. It is the only way for the lost to get a real taste
of God.
Abraham steps out on the promises of God. There is no prewritten
law or formula to guide his every step. God seldom gave
extensive details on the front end. No does he give extensive
details today. I think there is a reason God doesn’t give the
details. It is simple. God is not about to reveal his plans for
us to our enemies. That would only infuriate them and they would
make our lives much harder.
God not only calls upon me to believe and follow. God also
verifies his promises to me as he leads me to experience his
hand upon my life. Abraham’s knowledge of God grows as he steps
out to experience God’s promise. It is Abram’s experiences
leading him to see that those blessing him are blessed by God,
and those who curse him are cursed by God.
God reveals himself to Abram as “Almighty God.” It is hard for
Abram to grasp the full implication of what it all means. In
fact, Abram laughs at God as he promises him a son when he and
his wife are beyond childbearing years. It is in his experience
of God giving him a son that Abram learns about God’s almighty
power.
Abram’s faith isn’t an unquestioning faith in God. His decisions
often are of such nature that they in and of themselves question
God. Numerous times Abram makes decisions, which have
devastating consequences. He chooses to flee to Egypt during a
famine. Without hesitating he trades his wife for the safety of
those who travel with him. This is actually his plan for his
personal protection from the moment he steps out to follow God.
He is following God but he uses this back up plan for protection
more than once. He chooses to have a son by his hand maid.
Abraham’s experiences bring him face to face with God. Twice God
intervenes to save Sarah from Abraham’s deal with the Pharaoh of
Egypt and king Abimelech. God appears to the Pharaoh in a dream
warning them to let Sarah go. God intervenes causing serious
diseases to break out on Pharaoh and his entire household.
Knowledge of God Grows from
Experience
God’ verification of his promises and blessing is seen in
Abraham’s deliverance. It took Abraham the best part of at least
forty years to call upon God as Jehovah-jireh. The name means,
“God provides.” Jehovah-jireh defined his experience of God. It
is a name he calls God as he is coming down Mount Moriah after
attempting to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God. God provides
the appropriate sacrifice. Abram begins to see clearly God’s
hand of providence upon his life.
I have a strong belief that it is the moment it all came
together for Abraham. God has just verified every promise he
ever made to Abraham. He is now able to see where God was
leading him all along. What rejoicing must be his as he comes
off that mountain? Now it is clear what God is doing for him
every step of the way. God brings him to this moment of
maturity. Hallelujah, he understands God will provide—he tastes
God—how sweet it is.
Our ideas and beliefs about God must be allowed to grow and
reach maturation. It is amazing how the faith of those who walk
with God in the Old Testament grew into full maturity. David
calls upon God as Jehovah-ra-ah, which means “The Lord is my
shepherd.” He experiences God’s hand upon his life quietly
leading him through the valley of the shadow of death.
Gideon calls upon God as Jehovah-shalom, which means “The Lord
our peace.” He experiences peace as he leads 300 men
victoriously against thousands of his enemies. Initially, he
doubts that God has the right man for the job. He is the least
of his family, and from the least of the tribes of Israel. He
not only doubts—he also questions God. He asks God, “If you are
for us, why are our enemies plundering and robbing Israel.” When
it was all over Gideon experienced “The Lord is our peace.”
Jeremiah’s song is about Jehovah-tsidkenu, which means “the Lord
our righteousness.” He experiences God’s righteous judgment
upon the evil nations of the world as he is caught up in a
collapsing world order. He is imprisoned for preaching God’s
righteousness. God delivers him from prison. God brings him back
to Jerusalem to live as Israel is judged for her sins. He not
only experiences God’s righteous judgment against Israel.
Jeremiah also experiences God doing the right thing for him
personally as God delivers him from a crumbling world order.
These names for God rose out of their experiences of God, as
they fought to believe and follow.
Conclusion:
Today there is a name which stands above all
names—Immanuel—which means “God is with us.” There is none other
name which stands above this name. It is rich in meaning.
Imagine—GOD IS WITH US. God is with us is the emphasis of the
entire New Testament.
Matthew 28:16-20
16 Then the eleven disciples went
to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17
When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then
Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age." NIV
The theme of the New Testament is that God is with us. Jesus is
not only with the disciples on this mountain; he is with us
always to the very end of this age. Jesus doesn’t ask us to come
to him to know about him. He asks us to come to him to taste his
restful presence in our lives.
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke
upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy
and my burden is light." NIV
God moves among the fellowship of first Christians reminding
them of his presence. God speaks to Paul in a vision reassuring
him of his protection.
Acts 18:9-11
9 One night the Lord spoke to
Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be
silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and
harm you, because I have many people in this city." 11 So Paul
stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. NIV
God appeared to Paul on the deck of a storm tossed ship with a
message of reassurance.
Acts 27:21-26
21 After the men had gone a long
time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you
should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you
would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I
urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be
lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of
the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said,
'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and
God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with
you.' 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God
that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must
run aground on some island." NIV
We must come to a point to where we believe that God will do as
he has told us. For it is then we begin to taste God for
ourselves.
