Fewer things do I enjoy more than a gourmet meal prepared by my lovely wife. And no, for those so inclined, this seldom includes items from the seafood category. Ha! The Family Worship Center has been abundantly blessed with some wonderful cooks. Over the years seldom have my taste buds been disappointed by a delicately prepared dish presented by the ladies of our assembly. From scrumptious apple pies, rich cheesecakes, melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon buns, and homemade coffee ice-cream to irresistible lasagna, cream chicken, or turkey dinners… it’s GREAT! By the way, if you are waiting for me to list those ‘seldom’ experiences, don’t hold your breath!

When I walk through the door to my home there is nothing like smelling the aroma of my wife creating another culinary masterpiece. For hours prior to that exact moment she has slaved over a hot stove or mixing bowl, cautiously adding just the proper proportions of the correct ingredients. Do you think it needs a little more of this? Is it salty enough? However, when I sit down to dine, I have always attributed the flavor of the experience solely to the chef.

How wrong that is… It is a proven fact that food can only be tasted if it is mixed with saliva.

What? Do you mean to tell me that regardless of the detail or expertise of the chef, I would never taste anything without putting something into it myself? Yes. That is correct. The cook’s responsibility for ‘taste’ stops at the bottom of the recipe page. However, the battle of ‘taste’ is not won until you contribute to what has been presented for your ‘tasting’. The flavor can be there, but without individual input you will never experience it. Someone has to put some saliva into it!

Psalms 34:6-8 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good…

Could this be why some come to the house of the Lord, pull up to feast at the table of the King, and never see the goodness of the Lord? The variable is NOT the goodness of the Lord. He is always right. The variable is contingent upon the input of the individual. Maybe they aren’t putting enough ‘saliva’ into it. Two individuals can hear the same message preached… to one it’s sweet… to the other it’s bland. Why? If the word of the Lord is bland, it’s time to mix it with some ‘saliva’! Hearing the word of God will profit you NOTHING if it is not mixed with ‘faith’! The message can have all the proper ingredients for being tasteful, but be bland and unappealing because of the lack of ‘faith’ mixed in with it.

FWC, let’s MIX IT UP this week. We are blessed consistently with good soul food.. let’s not miss out on the flavor of what we have received, but let’s MIX IT UP! Oh taste and see, the LORD IS GOOD!