Psalm 34:8-9 “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him.”

Taste and see......THE LORD IS GOOD!!! I love food. I love to eat. I love to cook. I love to bake. I love good-for-me food. I love bad-for-me food. I love food. Are you a picky eater? Do you love food? (Do you know that there are actually people in this world that FORGET TO EAT?!?!?! ) While I love food, I can also be a picky eater. I don’t like pancakes. I don’t like donuts. I don’t like bacon....foods that many love. I can be PICKY.

My kids like to eat, but they can often dislike something that is good for them. I made DELIOUS stuffed peppers with quinoa once. They were so good – and healthy, but my kids, to this day, joke about it being the worst meal they have ever been served. 😊

Have you tried jelly bellies? YUM! How about those ‘bean boozled’ jelly bellies? Those are NOT good!! They LOOK good....but are NOT!

In our lives, we want only what is good, and often we *think* we know what that is....we can be picky about our lives – we don’t want what we know to be best....we pick things that LOOK good (jelly bellies) but are NOT good (bean boozled)....we want only what is comfortable and easy. We can be picky. We often are not the best judge of “good”.

Of one thing we can be sure: God is GOOD. He is ALWAYS GOOD. He is what is best for us. He is good for us. He is good to us. He is good.

“O taste and see that the Lord is GOOD!!....”

Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting and His truth endureth to all generations.”

HE IS GOOD!!

Psalm 72:18 “Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things”

EVERYTHING HE DOES IS WONDROUS!

Do you know what “wondrous” means? According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary the definition of wondrous is: admirable; marvelous; such as may excite surprise and astonish. Wondrous.....

I love the book of Psalms. The whole book is so real. Real feelings of fear, anger, joy, discouragement. I love the whole book. Psalm 34 was written by David during a difficult time in his life. Things were not easy and ‘good’, yet he wrote and knew: “O Taste and see that the Lord is good....”

We KNOW God is good. WE KNOW.

He has proven Himself to be good 1000’s of times before in big and small ways, yet, in the midst of loss, struggle, and pain it is sometimes hard to SEE the good.

Corrie ten Boom wrote the following:

Often, I have heard people say, ‘How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic and look at the lovely weather!’ Yes, God is good when He sends good weather, but God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was a darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. ‘No, Corrie’, Betsie said, ‘He has not forgotten us. Remember His word, Psalm 103:11 – For as the Heaven is high above the earth so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.’ Corrie concludes, there is an ocean of God’s love available – there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you to never doubt that victorious love – whatever the circumstance.

God is GOOD.

In our frailty as humans we sometimes fail to see or even doubt His goodness. I read once, “GOD’S PROMISES ARE GREATER THAN MY DOUBT” ....so let’s look at God’s promises....

Psalm 25:8 “Good and upright is the Lord....”

Psalm 73:1 “Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart.”

Psalm 86:5 “For thou, O Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”

Psalm 119:68 “Thou art good and doest good....”

~When Joseph was sold into slavery – GOD IS GOOD.

~When Joseph was able to use his authority to save millions during a famine- GOD IS GOOD.

~When Moses’ mother had to let him be raised in Pharaoh’s house to spare his life – GOD IS GOOD.

~When Moses led the children of Israel out of bondage – GOD IS GOOD.

~When Lazarus dies – GOD IS GOOD.

~When Lazarus was raised – GOD IS GOOD.

~When the doctor says ‘the tumor is benign’ – GOD IS GOOD.

~When the doctor says ‘it’s cancer’ – GOD IS GOOD.

~When every bill is paid with money to spare – GOD IS GOOD.

~When you don’t have a dime – GOD IS GOOD.

His goodness isn’t dependent on what He does or does not do – He is good. He is always good.

Decide NOW to believe that God is ALWAYS good – no matter what has happened or what will happen. He is good. Don’t put God on trial when difficulties come. The verdict has already been given: GOD IS GOOD!

If life now is smooth and calm and easy, rejoice in knowing that GOD IS GOOD.

If life now is hard – your heart is heavy and you are struggling. Take comfort knowing that GOD IS GOOD!

“O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!!!”