I love watching cooking programs, and I think I am not alone in this passion. Nowadays the wide range of shows on TV that are dedicated to food is unbelievable - everything from learning how to cook amazing meals with Jamie Oliver to the tension of Master Chef to the wonder of Man vs Food. Whatever the spin, all of these shows speak to our common human bond of food. However, while I love watching these shows they tend to leave me feeling less content that when I started. Invariably I am left feeling hungry - even if we have had dinner. I suddenly have a craving for cheese or steak or fish, or whatever the highlight of the show was. As humans it's just not enough to watch food - we want to taste it too! Which raises the important question - As a Christian am I content to simply watch God or do I have an overbearing desire to taste Him?
With many things in life - food included - experiencing it is more important that simply watching it. Think about children, hobbies, sports...and so much more. It's one thing to read about it, watch it on TV - it's a totally different thing to experience it. So what about God?
Is God a God explained or experienced? Is God a God in letters or in life?
We see this most powerfully with Jesus. There are letters and then there is life.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)
...letters...words...and then...
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
...there is the word heard, then there is the word held...
John picks this up in a very real way when he is writing about this later on in his letter. Here he says...
John picks this up in a very real way when he is writing about this later on in his letter. Here he says...
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched —this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." (1 John 1:1)
If we experience Jesus he makes a difference. We taste him, he is not just a concept he is a reality. Our God becomes a God we taste - an explosion of flavour that is beyond words. An experience that leaves us fulfilled rather than empty. An experience that leaves us energised rather than drained.
"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalms 119:103)
It is for this reason that the Psalmist issues the all important invitation to us...
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." (Psalms 34:8)
How to taste God
So how do I taste God? It comes down to the difference between a God stuck only in the Bible or a God also experienced in relationship. Is He a God of letters or love? Do we read about Him or experience Him?
If you are married, or have a girlfriend/boyfriend - the question would be the same. How would you like to engage with them, if you truly love them - letters or love - rules or relationship?
How do I taste God? In the amazing words he has recorded in his love letter to us (Bible) AND in every aspect of life. In the gentle whisper of the breeze. In the majestic grandeur of a mountain. In the smile of a child. In the touch of someone in need. God is in everything through his Spirit - he is everywhere.
How do we fully taste God? We have to put the recipe book down and step into restaurant of life.
We taste him when we allow him to work in our life.
We taste him when we step outside the boat and feel the wind and sea spray whipping our face but experience his peace.
We taste him when we open our hand to give and then see how much more God has already given us.
These are just some of the tastes in the restaurant of life. But we can only visit this restaurant and taste God when we leave the confines we've created.
If you are married, or have a girlfriend/boyfriend - the question would be the same. How would you like to engage with them, if you truly love them - letters or love - rules or relationship?
How do I taste God? In the amazing words he has recorded in his love letter to us (Bible) AND in every aspect of life. In the gentle whisper of the breeze. In the majestic grandeur of a mountain. In the smile of a child. In the touch of someone in need. God is in everything through his Spirit - he is everywhere.
How do we fully taste God? We have to put the recipe book down and step into restaurant of life.
We taste him when we allow him to work in our life.
We taste him when we step outside the boat and feel the wind and sea spray whipping our face but experience his peace.
We taste him when we open our hand to give and then see how much more God has already given us.
These are just some of the tastes in the restaurant of life. But we can only visit this restaurant and taste God when we leave the confines we've created.
Called to taste
What happens when you have an awesome meal at a restaurant? We want to tell others.
What happens when you read an amazing recipe in a magazine? We put it aside and think - "I'll try that one day"
Recipes read are nothing compared to meals tasted.
Things experienced are more powerful than things watched.
The experience compels us to share. Almost involuntarily we are telling our friends about the amazing meal we had at the new restaurant in town. We want to share it, we have to share it. Why? Because it has impacted our life.
We MAY share the words about God but we will WANT to share our experiences of God.
When we look at the Bible we see that this is really what it is all about. Thousands of experiences. People who in very real ways shared their taste of God. Just consider the book of Acts - its called that because it is a book of Action - experiences. It is the restaurant of God open and serving a rich diversity of amazing tastes - and Peter, Paul, Stephen, Phillip, and many more are desperate, compelled to share these amazing experiences with us.
And why must we do this?
What happens when you read an amazing recipe in a magazine? We put it aside and think - "I'll try that one day"
Recipes read are nothing compared to meals tasted.
Things experienced are more powerful than things watched.
The experience compels us to share. Almost involuntarily we are telling our friends about the amazing meal we had at the new restaurant in town. We want to share it, we have to share it. Why? Because it has impacted our life.
We MAY share the words about God but we will WANT to share our experiences of God.
When we look at the Bible we see that this is really what it is all about. Thousands of experiences. People who in very real ways shared their taste of God. Just consider the book of Acts - its called that because it is a book of Action - experiences. It is the restaurant of God open and serving a rich diversity of amazing tastes - and Peter, Paul, Stephen, Phillip, and many more are desperate, compelled to share these amazing experiences with us.
And why must we do this?
"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Peter 2:2-3)
We must taste God, experience God because this is THE ONLY WAY WE GROW. And having tasted we will be able to like Job, who surely experienced God, say...
"My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you." (Job 42:5)
Conclusion
Tasting God, experiencing God is not a nice to have optional extra. It's not a choice between
1. Recipe God
2. Experience God
Tasting God is both essential for our spiritual growth and serious, as we are warned...
1. Recipe God
2. Experience God
Tasting God is both essential for our spiritual growth and serious, as we are warned...
"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance." (Hebrews 6:3-6)
Once we taste God we are changed forever. There is no going back...in fact why would we ever want to. Having experienced God is this most real way we enter a new type of relationship. It is not one of just words but wonder, not just text but taste. This is the real 4D experience.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus chose to have us remember him through a meal? He could have chosen a special song or an action we perform. Yet he chose a meal, because it invokes taste. We taste him. We feel him enter us. We experience him. He wants us to realize that a relationship with him is all encompassing...it will consume all of us, if only we will open to the experience.
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." (Revelation 3:20)
Let's open up and "taste and see that The Lord is good" (Psalms 34:8).
Have you ever wondered why Jesus chose to have us remember him through a meal? He could have chosen a special song or an action we perform. Yet he chose a meal, because it invokes taste. We taste him. We feel him enter us. We experience him. He wants us to realize that a relationship with him is all encompassing...it will consume all of us, if only we will open to the experience.
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." (Revelation 3:20)
Let's open up and "taste and see that The Lord is good" (Psalms 34:8).
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Thanks...Malo.
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