Articles
Experiencing God and All His Goodness
The first half of Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!” By watching the Food Network, I can gain a decent understanding of a recipe. This is because I will get a list of all the ingredients and can see the faces of everyone during the finished tasting. However, I will never truly be able to experience the deliciousness of the dish if I do not make and taste it for myself at home. Likewise, I can gain a good understanding of the Lord and His teachings by reading the Bible, but if I do not also walk in His ways than how can I say I truly have a relationship with Him.
John 15:15 reads, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” As Children of God, all of us are to obey His commandment to love others, but we must not forget that we can only do that because He first loved us. Therefore, we must also first seek and love Him (Mark 12:29-30). The second half of Psalm 34:8 says, ”Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Having heartfelt faith in God is a necessary component to “taking refuge in him.” Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
Knowing the Bible is only half of truly being unified with God. Jesus tells us in John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” God gives eternal hope to those who truly worship and trust Him. Hebrews 10:21-24 reads, “and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Knowing Bible verses is an important part to understanding God because it helps us understand what He is asking of us. When it comes to realizing His goodness though, isn’t experience a more rewarding teacher?
