When You Taste God’s Love

A near-reverential awe fell over the table as four gourmet pizzas arrived and we traded conversation for the more important business of chewing.

The spice of the cured meats,

The brightness of the basil,

the crunch of sea salt and the kiss of hot honey…

We were taking in all the goodness. And suddenly, we found our words again.

“This is incredible!” said one.

“Here, you have to try this. It’s unlike anything I’ve tasted before,” said another, as slices were traded.

I think it’s safe to say we were satisfied with our meal that day. We were practically singing about it!

Now, I realize not everyone gets that excited about food.

But I still have to ask: Have you ever tasted something so good that you ate your fill and then told others about it?

This kind of experience reminds me of David’s words in Psalm 63:3-5. He says:

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. (NIV)

When David tasted God’s love, He realized: this was better than anything He’d tasted before. It was better than what life could offer him. It was even better than life itself.

I wrote a couple weeks ago about God’s unmatched love (you can read it here).

But in Psalm 63, David highlights his own experience with God’s love–God had helped him practically, secured him, upheld him, and revealed His glory and power to David.

God’s love for His people is not a “word only” love. He actively lives out His love for us everyday. This is what David had experienced.

And in verses 3-5, we see him respond to God’s love in two main ways: I will be satisfied and I will praise.

1. I will be satisfied.

David said, “Because your love is better than life…I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods.”

That word “satisfied” means “fed to the full” or “to have plenty.” [1]

David was saying that God’s love filled up His emptiness and satisfied His hunger completely. He had no need of anything else to make him feel full and satisfied in this life.

This is what God’s love can do. His love is the craving beneath all our other cravings. And it’s the only love that will fully satisfy our souls.

But can we say we are fully satisfied by God love?

Just like a person, full from a good meal, has no need of an after-dinner snack, if we’re fully satisfied by God’s love, we won’t need to seek out the approval of others to feel full inside.

And yet, how often do we go through life hungry—consuming likes, compliments and successes with an insatiable appetite?

Far too often, if we’re honest.

But here’s what I believe:

It’s not that God’s love isn’t enough to fill us up.

It’s that we’re leaving His love on the table…

we’re not taking it all in. We’re not internalizing it.

So how can we fill up more on God’s love? 2 tips:

Reach for God’s love, not junk food:

The truth is, everyone hungers for love, acceptance and significance.

But in our hungry moments, what we reach for matters.

If we try to fill up on the approval of others, we’re going to be hungry again very soon. A compliment may give us a quick pick-me-up, but it will drop us just as quickly.

Only God’s love is real food for us. Only God’s love can satisfy long-term. So… as much time as you spend checking likes and reflecting on compliments (or wondering where they are), spend even more time checking what God says about you in Scripture.

And in your moments of insecurity, intentionally look to God—not people—for your re-fill.

Believe God’s Love and Weigh it rightly:

Knowing that God loves us is one thing. But it’s another thing altogether to believe that He loves us and to let that reality be the most important thing about us.

Ask God to help you believe deep down that He loves you.

And ask Him to help you give His approval more weight than the approval of others.

So that whether you are celebrated or rejected by people, you will remain secure and satisfied in the love of God.

2. I will praise.

David says “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands…with singing lips my mouth will praise you.”

How often do you find yourself praising God?

Just in the dedicated space of a Sunday morning service? Or every day, as you go through life?

The mouth that has tasted God’s love, can’t help but sing of it.

And when we’re truly filled up by His love, we are freed up to worship with abandon, without worrying what those around us may think.

Because we already have the approval that matters most. We have the love that satisfies us completely.

A love that stands in beautiful contrast to the hardships and the happiness of this life.

His love is better.

It’s better than anything we’ve tasted before.

May our whole lives celebrate His love and invite others to taste it for themselves.

This devotion is based on one of the Scriptures from my reading plan: “God’s Love for Us.” To receive a copy of the reading plan, sign up for the email list below. Hope you’ll follow along!

[1] https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7646.htm

Related Posts:

Join The Email List