Taste & See

Today is Holy Experiment Day: we celebrate giving faith a try. Whether it's praying, or studying the word of God, or even joining a group bible study, today is a day where you're encouraged to "try it out."

While days like today are certainly open for both abuse and interpretation, Scripture itself suggests the same thing. "Taste and see that the Lord is good," invites the Psalmist (Psalm 34:8). "Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."

Of course, this is tricky. It's not as though God is a new car. You don't just hop into faith and take it for a spin to see how she handles. In fact, God has already proven Himself as trustworthy and good. Paul reminds us in Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." What we need to do, then, is to accept this great gift of Love. To recognize ourselves for who and what we are -- wayward children of God -- and to trust in Him to bring us home.

This trust isn't always easy, but then, nothing worthwhile ever is. If faith was as simple as deciding what we liked or didn't like -- like going to one of those pizza buffets -- it would be worse than useless. It would be about us, instead of about Him. But Scripture says, when we put our Faith -- our true, real faith -- in God, that trust will be rewarded.

So if it's not just a matter of "taking God for a spin," how do we taste and see? Romans 4 tells us we are, like Abraham, justified -- that is, made right by God -- through our faith in Him. Romans 5 reminds us that though we -- man -- brought Sin into the world, Jesus Christ bring Grace and healing.  Recognize the sin in your life. Give it over to Christ, who died for that sin. Willingly submit your life to the One who breathed it into you. And you will see that He is good.