Taste His Goodness

Taste His Goodness!
By Don Vess

**Psalm 34:8 AMP** – *O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.*

You can’t truly know how something tastes until you experience it for yourself. This applies not only to physical food but to spiritual nourishment as well. I used to think I wouldn’t enjoy certain foods, like sushi, until I finally took a bite. That first taste changed everything. Many people have the same hesitation with God. They fear or misunderstand Him, but they've never truly “tasted” His goodness.

For years, I feared God’s judgment. I thought He was a strict taskmaster, waiting for me to fail so He could condemn me. It wasn’t until I truly encountered His love that I realized how wrong I had been. God is a **good** God, and His goodness, mercy, and love are endless. In fact, Romans 5:8 tells us that “God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” What an incredible expression of His goodness!

When we experience God’s goodness, it transforms us. It leads us to repentance, to turn from our old ways and embrace the abundant life He offers. Romans 2:4 reminds us that it’s the **goodness** of God that leads us to repentance. Once we taste His goodness, we never want to go back.

I’m reminded of a dear saint, Joan Moore, who recently went to be with the Lord. At 92, she was a woman full of faith, always counting her blessings. When asked how she was, she’d always respond, “I’m counting my blessings!” She lived a life that exemplified Psalm 34:8—she had tasted the goodness of the Lord, and it radiated from her.

Joan’s love for Jesus was evident in everything she did. Even in her later years, she pursued a deeper knowledge of God’s Word, earning a theology degree in her 90s. Her life was a beautiful testimony of what it means to live in the fullness of God’s grace, mercy, and goodness. She never complained, even as her health declined. Instead, she kept praising God for His goodness, just as she always had.

Her example brings to mind 2 Timothy 1:5, where Paul speaks of the sincere faith of Timothy’s grandmother, Lois. Just as Lois passed her faith to her family, Joan passed hers to her children and grandchildren, leaving a legacy of faith.

Joan’s life reminds us that **tasting the goodness of God** is an invitation to trust Him completely. When we do, we experience the peace, joy, and security that only He can provide. As we look at Joan’s life, we can see that a life lived in the goodness of God is one filled with purpose, peace, and eternal reward.

Have you tasted the Lord’s goodness? If you haven’t yet experienced it, don’t let fear or hesitation hold you back. His love is rich, His mercy is boundless, and His goodness is beyond compare.

Today, take the invitation of Psalm 34:8—*Taste and see that the Lord is good*. You’ll find that nothing in this world can compare to the sweetness of a life lived in the presence of a good and gracious God.