Tis the season to stuff yourself with a myriad of freshly baked goodies. Just last week, I had two mini zucchini bread tins waiting for me on my desk. And outside my window, the school’s annual bake sale was beckoning. Prior to last week, I had pumpkin and pecan pies for Thanksgiving. And a plate of pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting balanced out that pie consumption.

Clearly my taste buds are working well.

Taste buds are those tiny structures on the surface of our tongues that are able to detect the five kinds of tastes. Apparently, we recognize salty, sour, bitter, sweet and umami. (I didn’t know that one either…it is a Japanese word that means pleasant or delicious. Who knew?)

On average, we each have between 2000 and 8000 taste buds. These receptors send our brains signals that trigger a response that goes something like this, “Yummy, I like that!”

I got to thinking about those receptors when I read the words of Psalm 34:9 where David instructed his readers to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” And on the basis of that testing, he recommended that we “take refuge in Him.”

When I am out to dinner with friends and a new dish is served to someone else, I try to talk that friend into letting me taste it. If I like it, next time I will order it. But since I am a picky eater, I need that sample to assure myself that it is a good investment of my money.

I think that is why the Lord used that language in this psalm. He knew that we are nibblers. We need to try things on for size. We take small bits and if we like the taste, we pile it on!

So this week, go ahead and do some spiritual nibbling. Taste and see that He is good. Trust Him for something going on in your life and watch Him act on your behalf. As you take refuge in Him, the Bible promises that you will be blessed.

Skip the Christmas cookies. Ignore the pies and cakes. The plum pudding can wait. Taste (sample, savor, enjoy) the Lord this season!

By His Grace and for His Glory,
Sherry L. Worel