Taste

Yesterday I had to laugh as I stood in front of the gourmet food section in our local CVS store.  I had run into the store to pick up a few necessities for my wife and remembered that I needed some parmesan cheese for the spaghetti dinner that I was planning for that night’s meal.  As I searched the shelves I came across a display of prepackaged, non- refrigerated gnocchi.  That surprised me because I had never seen it except in the refrigerator section of some of the fancier grocery stores and delis.  It made me laugh as I thought about a good friend, who is not Italian, who loves gnocchi.  I have joked with her that somewhere down the line she must have had an “ini” attached to the end of her maiden name!

For those of you not familiar with the product, gnocchi is an Italian dish that resembles a small dumpling.  They can be made from wheat flour, semolina, or as I always remember them, with potatoes combined with eggs, a little flour and some salt. Once mixed and formed into a ball the dough is shaped into a snake like shape about the size of your thumb.  Then it is cut into individual pieces around an inch long.  From here they are placed in boiling water and rise to the top as they are cooked.  Mix these with your favorite sauce (I prefer a rich red marinara or a pesto sauce) and you have a meal that absolutely captivates and spoils the taste buds!

And speaking of taste buds, I Peter 2:3 quotes from Psalm 34:8 where the Psalmist exclaimed with great satisfaction, “O taste and see that the Lord is good!”  (KJV) As I read that this morning I pictured myself sitting back at my parent’s table, rubbing my tummy and exclaiming with a satisfied look on my face, “Oh taste and see that the gnocchi is good!”

While I read the Word this morning I stopped every few moments, leaned back in my chair and exclaimed, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!”  Then I could hardly contain myself from running into our bedroom and sharing that wonderfully delicious taste of joy and satisfaction with my wife.

Is that the taste that you get every time you hear or read the Word of God?  Does it bring a delightful flavor of joy and satisfaction to your being?  The Greek translation of Psalm 34:8 finishes the verse with the words “Blessed is the man whose hope (better defined as expectations) are on the Him.”  According to that translation you will get what you expect when you hear or read from the Word of God. 

That little package of gnocchi at the store yesterday ignited the remembrances of the taste of the wonderful Italian gnocchi that my Mom used to make.  It also fired up an expectation for more of that fantastic meal in my future (ie; Terry you out there? – Just Kidding!!!)  My partaking of the Word this morning in I Peter and Psalm 34 also ignited remembrances of the goodness of God’s Word within my soul and the expectation of a life time of good meals from the kitchen of God’s Word!

How do you look at the Word of God?  Does it evoke the feelings of a gourmand in your life?  It should, because there is no other substance that can satisfy our beings as the life-giving, life-changing, life-sustaining Word of the living God.  Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself, “What am I expecting today?”