Taste And See The Goodness Of God - Finding Rest in a Restless World

“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31, NLT)

“Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8, NLT)

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Philippians 1:6, NLT)

Truth lets us know what can be trusted. But Scripture speaks not only of what is true, but also of what is good. And goodness goes further by asking, How should I live?

As we see the world more clearly, we also see the importance of our daily choices. What will I pursue? What will I love? What will I give myself to?

We might know something is true . . . but is it good?

At the beginning of creation, God looked at all that He had made and declared it good (Genesis 1:31). The psalmist later affirmed, “The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.” (Psalm 33:5, KJV). Goodness is not merely a quality God possesses. He is Goodness itself, just as He is Truth itself—perfectly, absolutely, infinitely. The goodness we see in creation flows from God, its source.

In a broken world, it can be hard for us to see goodness rightly. Our appetite for what is good can become distorted, just as a child might delight in eating candy every day for breakfast.

What are we feeding our inner selves?

Part of the struggle of being human is learning to recognize that what we love might not actually nourish us. We often settle for what satisfies quickly rather than what leads to lasting joy. We were made for a goodness that draws us into fullness of life.

What, then, is worthy of our hearts, the hearts God made to find their rest in Him?

Paul begins with the habit of attention: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8, NIV).

Our attention trains our affections. It teaches us what to hunger for and what to refuse. That which we give our attention to, we slowly learn to love.

When our hearts are oriented first toward Christ and then toward that which is noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, our actions follow. Our everyday choices and habits, even the mundane ones, can reflect the goodness that has its source in God.

Scripture invites us to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).

Tasting is not a kind of intellectual assent. It’s personal, experiential, lived, and tried. After tasting the goodness of God, things we once relied on to satisfy us begin to lose their savor. Christ is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:11). He who began a good work can be trusted to carry it to completion (Philippians 1:6).

Come, “taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8).

Thoughts to Ponder

Where is your attention most often drawn? How is that attention influencing your desires, your habits, and your sense of what is good? Ask God to help you notice what deeply nourishes your heart, and to draw you toward the goodness that leads to the abundant life.