If you had to choose between Longhorn and Outback, what would it be? How about Zaxby’s or Chick Fil A? Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ Donuts? Bruster’s or Ben & Jerry’s?
Just the thought of those decisions can have our mouths watering!
Our taste buds can detect 5 distinct tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent. The first four seemed obvious, but I had to do some research on the last one.
Can you identify the tastes of the following foods and sauces: kale, lemons, yams, wasabi, soy sauce, dandelion root, ginger? (Yes, apparently people really do eat dandelion root!)
As we consider different seasons and occasions during the year we often associate various foods with those moments; Thanksgiving and Christmas often have turkey, ham, and casseroles. Summer cookouts have burgers, ribs, and desserts. My family always has black eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread for New Years.
But more than just the taste of good food, it’s the goodness of the whole experience! The places, the people, the conversations that we enjoy and remember!
Psalm 34:8 is a phrase that keeps me thinking all the time, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!” Just like various foods that taste sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or pungent, life has a way of leaving a certain taste in our mouths. Sometimes it’s desirable and other times not so much. But the Lord is good!
The Bible often associates the taste of God’s blessing and goodness as sweet; sweet as honey and the drippings of the honeycomb, while God’s judgment toward man’s evil deeds embodies the taste of sour grapes.
Remember the story of Naomi and her two daughters-in-law Ruth and Orpah? Her husband and both of her sons died. In the midst of her anguish, she declared to be called Mara which meant ‘bitter.’ But Ruth’s faithful presence and the rest of the story that unfolds shows God’s provision in the midst of bitter circumstances.
How about the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego? These Hebrew boys refused to bow to the King’s statue so they were thrown into a furnace alive. They tasted a pungent (strong, fiery) trial but witnessed the faithful presence of God amidst the heat of the King’s demands.
The Bible often associates salt as an enhancer to life’s situations. Salt can be used as a preservative, a flavor enhancer, and a tenderizer. Salt really does have many functions. So, when Jesus describes His followers as the salt of the earth He is reminding us of the many functions we have to impact the world around us.
So how do we taste and see that the Lord is good?
Accept the invitation to come sit at the King’s table. Life has a way of inviting us in to a lot of places that hold empty promises. Rooms that are hollow. Where the price of admission is often miscalculated and costs us way more than we ever intended to pay. Keeping us longer than we ever intended to stay. But a seat at the King’s table is perfect in every way imaginable. And He’s waiting on an RSVP from the invitation addressed specifically to you!
Acquire a taste for the King’s delicacies. We live in a microwavable generation where frozen pizza and Ramen noodles have replaced some of the finest cuisines. We’ve allowed cheap substitutes to replace the delectable taste of authentic meals. And we’ve robbed our taste buds and bodies of the nutrients of those organic foods. The King’s delicacies, in its purest form, is meant to bring us joy and fill us with purpose.
Acquaint ourselves with the King’s people. Some of the best conversations and most memorable moments take place around a table sharing a meal. While the King’s people may come from different places and have diverse backgrounds they are united by the One who sits at the head of the table. There’s a common theme for those invited and seated at the table; we’ve tasted and seen the goodness of the saving grace of the King!
Kortney Jones 
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