One of my favorite Psalms is 34. During 2020 I encouraged a group on Facebook to memorize all 22 verses. It was rejuvenating. One of my life verses is Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Right there in the verse is the answer to the first part. To taste and see is to trust the source that is the refuge. You go to it because of confidence that it will protect you from the harm surrounding you. It doesn't eliminate the danger or possible hurt; it just keeps you through it. You can even see the harm, maybe a storm, while sitting in a cleft of a rock. Perhaps just sitting in the car waiting for the cloud to pass. You see the good of the refuge because you see the storm it is protecting you.
Our children and grandchildren initially tried the picky eating route. I would always say, "you must take a no thank you helping." They had to try a real bite, and then they could pass. Continuing, I'd add, "every time I make this, you must try it. Taste buds change as you try something." I can honestly declare there is no meal that my kids or grandchildren haven't been able to "taste and see" it as good. The meals may look a bit offputting, too red, too many vegetables, too much white sauce, etc. Yet, I have become a refuge for good meals. My kids and grandkids come and find themselves blessed. Also, have a great meal and a full tummy.
God is a refuge in every area of life, and as it falls apart, he can become a shelter. I found that a more significant reality over the last two months. Not only was God available to hide in as life fell apart, but like a mother bird, he built the shelter ahead of the birth of my life disaster, the death of my son. Looking back, weeks before my son died, I can see how God prepped me for this significant event. I was able to remember how good he was and is. I saw his hand in the details of this overwhelming calamity that hit my life. When the news came that Mel was dead, I just rehearsed the goodness of God as the refuge that took care of those who feared him. Because I knew his taste through his Word and saw his goodness over the years of walking with him, I continually saw a refuge from the chaos of emotions that would have driven me into depression. He was the excellent sanity that gave peace to my soul. I gave over to him the questions he never promised to answer in exchange for his good written and living Word. It held me together despite not knowing things I desired to know, but God never said he would give me. I was able to rest while watching the dark clouds move over my life.
One of the things I've learned and will continue to learn as the Lord continues to give me life on this side of heaven is that every page of the Scripture is the delicious taste of God's goodness. Even trudging through all those names in Chronicles shows how God remembers people. They matter to him. Every detail of the long list of elements of the temple, or the tabernacle, the curtains, etc., reminds us how detailed God is, and those are things that are not even as significant as I am to him. Looking at him through his Word after the death of my son, the caring details of how he prepared me for this loss, held me through this loss, and showed me his glory in the cleft of his safe arms, I will declare loudly, "God is a refuge!" Oh Sister, Oh Brothers. "Taste and see that the Lord is good..." I have become all the more blessed by taking refuge in Him. You can find that out too. Just take a "no thank you helping," you will find he is an expert at getting us through this thing called life. You will be back for more. Nothing else will satisfy because nothing else can promise you God's kind of refuge.
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