Thursday 28th January

Psalm 34 vs 1 - 6 & 8
 
1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me: let us exalt his name together. 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.  8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
 
I’ve just heard Mary Berry the celebrated cook and TV personality on the radio speaking about a new baking shown of which she is one of the presenters. It seems lately that we are inundated with cookery shows, why, we even have an entire channel devoted to them and to be honest, they are not bad entertainment either and may be a better way to put in an hour or so than some of the other stuff we are inclined to watch. Of course once the contestants have finished their concoctions the taste test by the judges follows bringing either praise or criticism. No matter how good something may look or how others may wax lyrical about it, the proof of goodness in the end comes down to the taste. No wonder we say the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

The psalm writer here in effect says the same thing of the Lord. He has encouraged others to praise God, to put their faith and their confidence in him, he has spoken of his own experience but in the end the only way another person can prove his truth and faithfulness and experience the love of God is to step out in faith, to actually trust in him.... “taste and see that the Lord is good.” It can only ever be like that. You might hear someone else speak about their life and the difference it has made to trust in Jesus; hear what he has delivered them from and how he has blessed them. You may be really persuaded, but in the end it is someone else’s experience and it can never apply to you. The only way to know the Lord’s salvation and at the same see your life turned around is by doing the same thing, actually putting him to the “taste”. Won’t you trust him today and he will prove his goodness and faithfulness.