Oh, Taste and See...

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good."  Psalm 34:8   NIV


God wants us to savor His presence.  When we read His word and meditate and pray and praise,  we are savoring our Savior... Drawing out every bit of flavor with each bite.  The more we savor the Word, the deeper the understanding of Him we will discover.  We can taste His love and His goodness;  we can taste the  unique flavor of God's holiness, sovereignty, and grace.
Do not rush through your Bible reading;  instead, savor each morsel and recognize it as the milk, meat, or manna that it truly is.

HABAKKUK 3:16

"I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound, decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled.  Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us."  (NIV)

     The prophet Habakkuk wrote this short book of the Bible.  Like so many of the prophets, he had observed corruption, unrest, famine, and violence.  He went to God in prayer with earnest questions:  WHY?  Why, do  the deceitful people seem to get away with their dishonesty?  Will they ever be punished? Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?  And, WHEN?  When will You rescue us from our enemies?  When will You answer my pleas?

     Habakkuk was honest and direct with God about his concerns.  And God answered, explaining that He would make things right, but that it would be done in His time - not according to man's wishes. (Often, we think we know what's best for us, but only God can see the big picture... His vision extends all the way to eternity)

  

my photo, entitled, "Lone Tree Seeking God", taken in Israel

       This book of the Bible reminds me so much of how I feel. Right now. Today. In a world filled with corruption, violence, and blatant sin... Sometimes it seems as if evil people will prosper forever, while the "little people" struggle to get by from day to day.  I find myself asking God the same questions Habakkuk asked Him thousands of years ago... WHY?   and, WHEN?  I find myself pleading with God to rescue me from the worries of this world... Food prices going up. Utility prices skyrocketing. No end in sight to the apparent political unrest of the world.  "Wars and rumors of wars..."

  

       But, Habakkuk sets the example: He remained faithful and obedient despite the terrible times he was living in.  The  next three verses, following the "3:16" reveal Habakkuk's faith:   17  Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,  18  yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  19  The sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights."  And, that is how the book of Habakkuk ends.  What a nice, uplifting ending!

     Sometimes it seems as if evil will prosper forever.  But this isn't so... God believes in justice.  We are often impatient, unable to see the full picture.  But, trust Him and He will be your strength.

     "In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul."

                                                         Psalm 94:19  KJV)

LEVITICUS 3:16

     "The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering by fire, a pleasing aroma..."  (NIV)

My husband Moshe as High Priest (Cohen Gadol) at the altar

     This verse is in reference to making a peace offering, which is also known as a fellowship offering.  It was an expression of gratitude for one's relationship with God.  The priests tended the holy fire on the altar.  God had started the fire, but it had to be tended to keep burning. The continually burning fire symbolized God's eternal presence.
     Nowadays there is no Temple in Jerusalem, so there is no way to tend the holy fire on the altar.  Ah, but, the fire of God is present in believers today.  When the Holy Spirit enters our lives the fire is lit.  And, as in the days of the Temple,  God's intention is that the fire be eternal,  but it needs to be tended.  Tending the fire means communing with God; don't let the ashes of your life overcome the flame.  Tend the fire with prayer, repentance for sins, and caring for others in a Christlike way.  Do you and I qualify to tend the fire?  Well, do you know that YOU are a priest?  I Peter   2:5 states:  "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."  (King James Version)
     Today the pleasing aroma to the Lord is the aroma of praise.  The songs of worship and thanksgiving.  The sweet incense of prayer without thought of self.  If you have never visited this altar,  God invites you to make a peace offering of your own.  Express your gratitude to Him for His willingness to share Himself with you. Enjoy the peace that only He can offer.
     " But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.  And who is equal to such a task?"  (II Corinthians 2:14-16  NIV)
     THE  FIRE  IS  HERE.  You need only to ask for a spark.