We have six senses. We each tend to have more of one or rely
more on one than others. For me it is smell. Neuroliguistic programmers say our
smell is captured in many ways in our brains, bringing images and experiences
alive. I believe that is true. There are not a lot of Bible verses about smell,
and a number referencing taste. Taste and smell go together. Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh,
taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him.” How
can we taste the Lord? I believe it is
clear in Scripture that we taste the Lord by His Word, in the Bible. In fact,
Psalm 119:103 tells us, “How sweet are Your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth! Tasting God’s word in a function of
study and meditation. It is taking in His precepts until they are part of us.
In fact the Prophet Ezekiel takes this to heart hearing God saying to him, “Son
of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of
Israel. So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll…Son of man,
feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you. So I
ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness” (Ezekiel
3:1-3). You see, God wanted His people
to hear the words of warning and healing, but they were stiff-necked and would
not hear them. Proverbs tells us that, “Pleasant
words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul…the judgments of
the Lord are true and righteous altogether, more to be desired are they than
gold, yea than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm
19:7,9,10). I love this theme of the Word of God being sweeter than honey.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. The words of the Lord come to our smell
and taste, but also our sight. Psalm 119:105 tell us that, Your word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light to my path.” God’s
word is our visual guide as we walk. We are to, “Trust in the Lord with all of
our heart and lean not on our own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge
Him and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Do you hear the Lord when He calls? “I will hear what the Lord will
speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints” (Psalm
85:8). Often Scripture says to “those with eyes to see and ears to hear” before
a proclamation of truth. In Isaiah 6 God warns, “Keep on hearing but not understanding; keep on seeing but do not
perceive…lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand
with their heart, and return and be healed.” God asks how long will they
not hear or see and be healed.
Has God touched you and healed you? He touched Isaiah’s lip
with a hot coal saying, “Behold, this has touched your lips, your
iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged” (Isaiah 6:6). When calling
the prophet Jeremiah he said, “Then the Lord put forth His hand and
touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: ‘Behold I have put My words in your
mouth.’” (Jeremiah 1:9). The
woman with a12 years of issue of blood touched Jesus and His healing power
touched her in return.
“Taster and see that the Lord is good” we read in Psalm 19. The
Bible is replete with sight references and it should because most of us are
secretly from Missouri and have to see it. Listen to the Apostle John quoting
Jesus concerning His needing to die. “ A little while longer and
the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you will
live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and
I in you” (John 14:19). On resurrection day, Jesus walked with the two
men to Emmaus, but they were kept from recognizing Him, perhaps by Satan. He
opened the Scriptures to them. They heard but did not see. They reached their
destination, and Jesus appeared to be going further. They invited Him to join
them for dinner. It was only when He gave thanks to His Father and broke the
bread that they saw that “their eyes were opened, and they recognized
Him, and He disappeared from their sight” (Luke 24:31). They could feel
their hearts had been burning within them. They were now able having heard,
tasted and seen the Lord to believe and say, “It is true! The Lord has risen
and has appeared to Simon…and how He was known to them in the breaking of the
bread” (vv. 34-35). Sight is
thought to be the primary sense of men. But we need more so often. We can see
better when we get further away or higher often, like climbing a mountain. Only
when we come down and view from afar does the whole mountain come into focus.
But there is a spiritual sense where we must get lower, on our knees or face to
see.
Our sixth and strongest sense
is spiritual. It is the power of the Holy Spirit. In Hebrews 5:14 the author
speaks of spiritual maturity and how all of our senses are engaged. “But
solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason
of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Now that is the full use of our senses
empowered by the Holy Spirit who will guide us in all truth. In the famous hymn
Amazing Grace, John Newton, the
former slaver turned minister writes, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.”
“Faith comes through hearing
the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). This hearing and seeing in
through the power of the Holy Spirit working within you to invite and receive
Jesus into your heart with all your senses. “Taste and see that He is good,
blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him” (Psalm 34:8).
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts.