Taste and See that the Lord is Good!
Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
This life changing story may sound like a fairytale because of the of times we are now living in. When I was young, speaking of God was a common practice and something that was reverenced. However, now many people think that to be a Christian is just a person following a bunch of religious rites. Don’t get me wrong there are many “religious people “in the world and I say that not to put them down, but rather to say I have experienced something far better than a religion. I’ve experience the person Jesus Christ who hates religion. I have discovered a real and living God who adores me and loves me with a passion. He is a living and life changing God.
You may be asking, “How can you say that for sure?” My answer to you is experience. For instance people can say to you, “Try this piece of delicious cake,” but until you actually taste the cake you do not know whether it is delicious or not, right?” It is the same way with a true and loving God, if you only go by what people tell you about him or what you believe to be true without actually tasting to see if He is good yourself, how will you know if He is truly good? Below is just one of the earliest memories and true stories of my life changing experiences with a Living and Loving God. This was not the religious God that people talk about and try to exploit to justify their actions of manipulation and control of other people. No this was a real encounter and experience that I had as an innocent little child whose life was radically changed by a real God who came to heal our family.
Once upon a time when I was a little girl around four-years-old, barely old enough to climb into a church pew, my parents took my sisters and me to a little country church. Even though as a child I never understood all of what I was experiencing or all of who I was experiencing I would feel the wonderful presence of God that sent chills all through me. I would hear beautiful songs that were uplifting and praised God. When His Presence would come, I felt peaceful and hopeful that all things were going to be good. I would watch my Mom and Dad, as tears streamed down their faces. I never understood why they were tearful, but again I never felt alarm as though I needed to be upset. The Presence of God comforted me. I somehow knew that it was a good thing that was happening. I saw my family one by one dedicate their lives to the Lord, especially my oldest sisters and I can remember them getting baptized as the church family gathered on the banks of a nearby creek. So what did that experience of that Presence do for us?
I believe the greatest experience and evidence of God’s real goodness to us, was when my Dad was radically changed. He used to party and drink with his friends and other members of his family, while he left my Mom and Six girls home waiting on him. When he would finally come stumbling through the door, I remember how the whole atmosphere of our home would change. He would be angry because we would be watching a T.V. show called “The Monkees.” I remember how he would rage when he came in until we scrambled to turn it off, his reasoning was because they were “Longhaired hippies!” However, once my Dad experienced God’s Presence, he was never that same man, instead he became another man altogether. He never touched alcohol again. He would say that God touched him and that he never missed it or desired so much as a drop of alcohol because God’s presence was enough to satisfy him. He knew how to humble himself before an almighty God but a loving Father to receive what he needed in life. He was full of joy and laughed and teased with us. He was a new Daddy. I remember that sometimes we would be at the church late, and my Daddy gently carrying me to the car, and then into our home. This image of my natural Dad and my experience has helped me to experience a Loving Heavenly Father in such a personal way.
My Daddy from that point on was the strongest man I knew. He protected us, loved us, took care of us and all of his grandchildren throughout the years, and never treated anyone differently than what he wanted to be treated. Was he perfect, not at all, but He was humble and could be corrected when he needed to be. He could plainly see faults in people, but like his own life, he knew that God’s grace was available to help them. He was real, and not religious. What you seen was what you got. I realize that in the world we now live in, we have so many fatherless children who have never experienced a real loving Dad, so because of that, it is difficult for them to trust in a Heavenly Father. Many also have had painful experiences because of their absent Dads and so again, to relate to a Loving Father is foreign to them. The point of this blog is the same point I wanted to make earlier concerning that delicious cake, if you never taste of the Lord, how will you know if He is good or not? I hope that you will take my word, as someone who has tasted of the goodness of the Lord and has experienced Him as being a Good, Good Daddy, taste for yourself.
Romans 10:8-11 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
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Christine Gilliam Hornback
Wife, Mother, #1 Bestselling Author, Spiritual Midwife/Coach, Inspirational Speaker, Creator of Inspirational Programs and Authorship Programs, Artist and Art Instructor!
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