Have you ever bought something from the grocery store because you tasted one of the samples and liked it so much that you wanted to get more? Pre-COVID, my friends and I joked about getting lunch at Costco from all the samples they used to have, a veritable rainbow of bites and tasty treats. We see these kinds of bite size meals demonstrated in a delicious reality through various cultures! There are several cultures that have appetizers as meals, like tapas in Spain, dim sum in Hong Kong, pikilia in Greece, kemia in Morocco and lots more!
Whenever I have the sample adventure at Costco, or I enjoy an appetizer-style meal somewhere, I will often return to what I like the most. It seems to me that it’s normal for us to want and get more of what we like. So rather than eating lots of samples or lots of bites, I find myself wanting maybe an entire meal of what I like. Or if I don’t want a whole meal of the sample, I might prefer to keep little snacks of those delightful morsels with me throughout the day.
I would propose that God kind of does the same thing. Let’s start with Psalm 34:8 where we read, “O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” What does this look like for us?
If we think about our average day, we move throughout a day enjoying various things. For example, on any given day, I enjoy a nice cup of coffee, seeing a unique sunrise, washing my face, getting some time outside, texting my friends, listening to some fun music, taking some time to write, eating something tasty, reading my Bible and lots more! I thoroughly enjoy all of these things, although they are discreet experiences. What are some things you enjoy on an average day?
Let’s consider that maybe the things that we enjoy over the course of a day are samples of God’s goodness, lovingkindness and faithfulness to us. If we keep returning to the sample for deep fulfillment, an unlimited supply, and grounding for our souls, then it’s possible that we are looking for satisfaction in the sample rather than the Source.
Furthermore, I’d also suggest that God’s faithfulness and lovingkindness to us are expressed in a wide array of experiences. To this end, we would be wise to keep ourselves open to the many ways that God loves us and not just a constricted human limitation. It’s absolutely possible that God is expressing God’s infinite lovingkindness to you through nature, tasty food, giving you patience, endurance, the friend making you smile, joyful music and lots more.
Maybe God’s love to us is like an opulent tapas, dim sum, pilikia or kemia meal, overflowing with tantalizing tastes and surprising treats! I pray that as you finish reading this blog that you will not only taste and see that the Lord is good, but that you’ll feed on the faithfulness of God (Psalm 37:3). Let’s be certain to see that the samples of God’s love to us keep us returning to our core Source! Remember, God is love (1 John 4:8)!
