“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” (Psalm 34:8)
The adage “the proof is in the pudding” may be familiar to you. That adage first appeared in print in the early 1600s. The original maxim, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating," at first meant that you had to taste the pudding in order to determine whether it was good or not. The statement has been condensed over time without changing its meaning.
I'd like to believe that this expression dates back much further. In the Old Testament, we read in Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” The Psalmist declares that we should “make trial of it by our own experience,” which means that when we have a direct and personal relationship with God, we will know how good He truly is. All of God's divinely good and true attributes—kindness, grace, compassion, benevolence, and providence—are available to those who love Him and are surrendered to Him.
It makes sense that people would wonder, “Can I really have a relationship with this Person, this God?” for it is during the Easter season, when Christians commemorate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. The questioner would certainly wonder what this would imply for his life, specifically? Will it change anything? Will my life and my emotions change? We must respond, the proof is in the pudding! A connection with Jesus cannot be defined, described, or measured from the outside, rather it must come as Scripture proclaims, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” We will experience God’s goodness in our lives and accept a true and enduring hope for eternity when we give ourselves to Christ.
The story of the resurrection is both real and fantastic. In order to atone for sin, God took on human form, led a sinless life, and suffered a terrible death for us. However, by triumphing over death, He not only atoned for our sins but also cleared the way for us to enter into everlasting life. We become a part of this amazing story by surrendering our lives to Jesus, confessing our sins to Him, and deciding to live for Him. Today, we serve as living examples of what Jesus did two thousand years ago when He died on a cross and rose from the dead.
Prayer: Dear God, I am grateful that You sent Your Son Jesus to not only die on the cross to atone for my sins, but also to rise from the grave to grant me everlasting life. May my actions and words as a follower of Christ serve as real evidence of the Jesus who resides inside of me. Give me opportunities to witness to others about Christ during the Easter season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
