Psalm 34:8 “Oh taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”
THE PSALM 34 CHALLENGE – Day 8
You can join on any day – and memorize the Psalm at your own pace.
Today we add verse 8.
Psalm 34:8 “Oh taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”
Consider this: I enjoy food – especially my wife’s cooking and baking which I have savored for more than 37 years. Her favorite television shows are cooking shows. She finds it relaxing to watch them. And she’s not alone since there are entire networks devoted to cooking and baking! I’ve watched a few of these shows and they always leave me disappointed. Let me tell you why.
In a period of just 30 – 60 minutes, I see a countertop full of ingredients transform into a gourmet meal. During the show, the host describes how she pairs certain foods to bring together a nutritious and delicious meal. The photography of the food is stunning; the plating is spectacular and then the final moment arrives when the meal is complete and she plunges her fork into the mouth-watering food and takes her first delicious bite. The expression on her face tells the entire story. The meal is a complete success. The food is good. Judging from her expression “good” is an understatement! I tease my wife and tell her that I am so disappointed. I’ve watched the entire show and I see what the host sees and it looks good! I hear what she hears while the food sizzles in cooking pans. Her description of the spices she uses in her dishes is almost enough to smell the food. But I walk away disappointed that I have never enjoyed a single bite for myself. I believe the host, who says “it’s good,” is telling me the truth. But how do I know if I never taste it? I’m just an observer and I want to be a participant.
If you’ll excuse the illustration, David is like the host of the cooking show. In the first seven verses of Psalm 34, David describes his personal experience with the LORD. David knew the LORD – not in a theoretical way – but in a deep, personal, and intimate manner. The ingredients of a personal relationship with God are brought together for everyone to see. He seeks the LORD, cries out to Him, and trusts Him. He knows the Lord personally. He also describes how the LORD personally interacts with him. The LORD hears, delivers him from fears and trouble, and He protects David. David’s face is radiant because of how “good” God is. Just as in the cooking shows, the term “good” is an understatement. Just observe the way the LORD transforms lives.
You’ve heard David tell his stories of God’s care for him. You’ve read my stories of God’s personal involvement in my life. I don’t want you to walk away disappointed that you believe me but have never experienced knowing God personally.
David does something that never happens on the cooking shows. He doesn’t want to enjoy the LORD by himself. He pleads with you (as I do today) “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!” It’s an invitation to enjoy the meal with us. What God did for David and what He has done for us, He can do for you! It’s a compelling offer.
You can partake of God’s offer of eternal life by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). “Blessed (how happy – eternally happy) is the man who trusts in Him!
Years ago I taught a class on evangelism at our church. I taught the class how to use a book called “Stranger on the Road to Emmaus” to help unbelievers understand the gospel and be saved. Each student in the class was asked to prayerfully choose a person with whom they would share the gospel. One student said, “I want to share this good news with my sister…but she lives in Los Angeles!” (about 350 miles away). I said, “I don’t see a problem – send her a book and go over each lesson by phone.” (I’m dating the story – there was no Zoom back then). So he did! And they faithfully went over the lessons each week for about 15 weeks.
Around the 15th week, I had been invited to teach on evangelism at a Chinese Bible Church in the Bay Area. I was about halfway through my message and the Lord brought to my mind the young lady in LA. I kept preaching…but the Lord impressed upon me to stop my sermon right then and there and tell the story of this woman in LA who was very close to coming to know the LORD. And so I did! I asked the congregation to pray for her because the Lord was urging me to do that. And they prayed. And the Lord indicated that I should tell her brother to compel her to come to the Lord, but before he could do that, she called another person in our church and he did compel her to come to Christ. And she has gone on to love the Lord and serve him for many, many years.
I know most of you reading this already know the Lord, but I do know that many are watching from the sidelines. To them, I write: I want to compel you to come to the Lord if you still do not have a personal relationship with him. Don’t watch as a spectator. Don’t just observe what the Lord does for others. He’ll transform your life if you trust in Him as your own personal Lord and Savior. That personal relationship starts by believing the gospel. You may find help in understanding the gospel here: https://iwilltrustinthelord.com/start-here/
Psalm 34:8 “Oh taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”
By the way, you can download a free copy of Stranger On The Road To Emmaus by going to this website and ordering the PDF version. https://www.goodseed.com/the-stranger-on-the-road-to-emmaus.html
Order the English PDF version from the “GS CAN” or “GS NorthAmerica” section and place it in your shopping cart. Fill out the necessary information. At check-out use this free code: GOODSEEDFREE for your free copy of the PDF version of the book and enjoy it. I verified with them this morning (09/22/2023) that this offer is still valid.