Taste

The fresh strawberry jam sat on the table, beckoning. There were rave reviews regarding this summer delight. The ruby color, glistened in the morning light. When I approached the jar, the sweetness of it wafting through the air, enticed me closer still. I willingly spread it across the hard toasted bread. As I bit down, chewing slowly, I was able to experience the wonder of the jam. I savored each mouthful. I could not understand its delights fully until I had actually tasted it. Only then could I relish its goodness. The hardness of the bread did not matter. It was the sweetness in between that counted.
I have always heard about God's goodness. Often told others that He was good. Memorized the verse in Psalm 34:8. "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."
Recently I marveled over the words, taste, see. For in those two words I found an invitation.  I could not taste that strawberry jam until I was willing to come closer. Experience the jam for myself. And isn't that what God would have us do? Draw near, come closer. He would have us savor His heart, relish His goodness.
And then I noticed. David, he said these words in the midst of great fear and difficulty. He was surrounded by a bad King who wanted to harm him. He had to act insane just to escape. Yet sandwiched in between these hard places is an invitation to savor God's goodness.
At times in the past few months it has felt like I am surrounded by difficulties. I have chosen, often as an act of my will, to look to my God. To praise and exalt Him. To thank Him and yield to Him in all this ache and hard. And I am finding that the hardness surrounding does not matter. It is the sweetness in between that counts. I have been invited to draw near to my God, to savor the goodness of His heart.
And so, I say with David, come!
Taste, see, that the Lord, He is good. His sweetness, even now, is wafting through the air.