Taste and See...

That the LORD is good!

This past Sunday was pretty awesome. I just want to tell you about it...

So, during worship, Pastor Bryan comes up and begins to pray that we will feel a tangible sense of God's presence throughout the room. A few moments later my mouth began to water... I was thinking, 'is this really happening? The only thing that makes my mouth water this much is a jar of pickles.' But, yes, it was happening and I began to swallow and think, 'what is this all about God?' I then thought of the verse in Psalm 34, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good..." I began to pray that word over myself and say things like, "God, you are good. I have truly tasted of your goodness over the years. You are so good. Thank you for being so good." A few moments later Pastor Bryan also began to say, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!", over and over. At that point, I was like, 'God, that is so cool! You're telling him the same thing!' And for the next several minutes I just enjoyed His amazing presence, swallowing as my mouth continued to water and telling my God how good He really is and thanking Him for showing up tangibly so that I would know without a doubt He is with me, speaking to me. Me.

Kinda weird that He did it through my mouth watering? Possibly. But, He is God and He can show He is real in whatever way He chooses, right? Right!

It doesn't stop there...it gets even better!

After a really great message on hearing and obeying the voice of God by Chris, a new staff member, it was time for me and Lora to meet in the back of the room to pray with anyone who desired it. After Chris prayed over all of us, Lora looked at me and began to say how she felt God was wanting her to share something with me. She continued to say, "I don't know what all this means, but I feel like God is saying He is changing your tastes. You will begin to enjoy things you didn't before, and the things you now enjoy you may not enjoy as much."  (I was like this is so awesome, because I knew she had no idea what had happened earlier in the service). She continued to say it was almost like a piece of computer equipment or something similar that was plugged into a certain outlet and it was being unplugged and plugged back into another outlet. She also said that He was bringing more healing to me emotionally. Total healing of deep emotions- I was pretty overwhelmed at that point...

I began to share with Lora how awesome it was that she felt led to say those things to me, especially using the word "taste". I told her what had happened earlier in the service and how I had already felt God reminding me to taste and see that He is good.

I share all that with you today mostly because I'm just pretty excited over how really good God is and that He, through His Holy Spirit, continues to speak to me and you. I also want you to know too that I'm not so sure about this new taste and what God is up to. I share that part because sometimes we think that God is supposed to say it all, give us all the info up front and then ask us to step out in it. Well, now wouldn't that be great! And require no faith nor trust!!! But He doesn't. He gently leads us along the pathway He has chosen by showing us His peace along the way. In the midst of it we seek His peace. It will never lead us astray.

So, today, along with encouraging myself to trust Him with the unknown of the change of taste taking place in my life and the new place He is plugging me into, I encourage you also. First of all, if you don't realize it already, you can hear from this great BIG God who not only created this universe, He created you and me!! And as Chris reminded me this Sunday, He created us first!!! He had you and I in His plans and on His mind before He created the world and everything in it...think about that for a while!! We are to impact this world, not let this world impact us... You can hear Him speak to you and don't try to figure out how He will or should do it... He knows you best... He has already and will continue to make Himself known to you and He knows how you will hear Him best. And as I continue to preach to myself this morning I say, choose to obey and trust that He is really good and has mine and your best interest in mind for His ultimate glory. When we believe that then it's so much easier to follow His leading...

Lead me Lord, I will follow.

"Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see - how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him." Psalm 34:8 The Message

Running on a Wednesday morning,
Lenee