By Don Schatz

The Spice of Life

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

Psalm 34:8. New International Version

I like crepes.  Recently, in a Crepe Fellowship event at church, and in a visit to a nephew after Christmas, my fondness for crepes was rekindled.  I chose a picture of the savory crepe my nephew made.  Beneath the egg was Canadian bacon and shredded Swiss cheese.  Yum.

It is odd to think of the Lord as ‘yummy.’  There are other Scripture verses which speak of the Word of the Lord as sweet, like honey.  But today the Psalmist says, “taste and see that the Lord is good.”  There is no mention of God’s Word.  The Lord our God flavors our lives with all grace, mercy, forgiveness, salvation, restoration as his children.  The Lord flavors our lives with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  This mix of spiritual flavors comes together in the lives of God’s people.  God is Good.

Does your community have a ‘Taste of…’ festival?  Restaurants participate, and you can sample tastes from around your community.  Could the Church, wherever it gathers in the name of Jesus, be a spiritual ‘Taste of…’ Festival?  I think it can.  I think the Lord has seasoned the world with the Church with that in mind.  I think that no one can season the lives of those around them like you can, in your mix of relationships.  I think the Lord relishes that idea (pun intended).

To borrow a word from John Lennon, “Imagine.”  Imagine if the world experienced the Church this way.  Imagine if the world experienced each of us this way.  The taste of love.  The taste of compassion.  The taste of grace.  The taste of mercy.  The taste of forgiveness.  The taste of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  The taste of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit exuberantly and generously sifting the savory spice of the Christ-life over and into the world.  Through us.  It beats “a spicy meat-a-ball” any day.

Look out your window at the world.  Spice it up today.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado