Taste Matters

My daughters and I had a mother/daughter day this past weekend.
We plan this special day every year.
We have done all sorts of things.
We have seen plays, a ballet, and took a carriage ride around Central Park.

This year we stayed fairly local.
A town nearby was having a Holiday Village Market.
Artisan and Vintage vendors set up small tents in the charming village.
Live music and fire pits to warm yourself in the cold were scattered about.

We parked in a parking garage and had about a half mile walk to the Village Market.
Walking is never an issue for me and my daughters; however, this is the day we dress up a bit.
None of us had typical walking shoes.
Despite that, we loved just being together.

Beautiful handmade pieces were everywhere.
There was even a tent with delicious homemade chocolate.
There was an ice sculpture of Rudolph complete with red nose that captivated the children.
There was something for everyone.

It was a cold day, which only added to the Christmas-y feel of the occasion.
After we explored the village, we decided to walk back to town and go into the shops there.
We walked into boutiques, window shopped a few toy stores, and enjoyed all the sights.
We decided to stop in a local coffee shop that my youngest daughter suggested.

Since it was cold, we were in the mood for hot chocolate.
We had dinner reservations in a little over an hour.
However, hot chocolate was a must.
We were ready for the piping hot cup of chocolate-y goodness.

We ordered four small cups of hot chocolate to go.
It always amazes me how long it takes to make hot chocolate.
We stood there and waited.
One by one, a cup of hot chocolate was passed over the counter.

My daughter sweetly handed the first cup to me.
I wrapped my cold hands around the hot cup.
I took a sip.
It was not chocolate-y at all.

It tasted more like warm milk.
I debated about saying anything to the girl behind the counter.
I knew our dinner reservations were soon.
Perhaps it was just my hot chocolate that was so weak.

I watched the next cup get handed to one of my daughters.
I saw the next cup and the next come across the counter.
I looked at my oldest daughter.
This isn’t chocolate-y at all, I said trying not to speak too loudly.

Mine isn’t either, my daughter said.
At this point, it was either wait for four more cups of hot chocolate or drink the ones we had.
Since we needed to drive to the restaurant, we decided to drink the ones we had.
We were drinking warm milk with a smidgen of chocolate.

It reminded my of sweet potatoes.
It took me years to eat sweet potatoes, which I now love, because of my first taste.
I was a little girl and took some of the orange vegetable at the dinner table.
I was expecting carrots and got quite a surprise.

It was quite a while before I tried sweet potatoes again.
I expected one taste and got another.
I tasted what to me looked like carrots but was something foreign to my taste buds.
Taste matters.

“You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe. And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.  You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.  But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.” And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.” (Ezekiel 2:7-10 and 3:1-11)

Taste matters.
When God’s Word was given to Ezekiel, he expected the words of lament to taste bitter.
However, when he tasted it, Ezekiel discovered that the words were sweet in his mouth.
God’s Word is sweet, even when we think it will be difficult to swallow.

We are to feed on God’s Word.
We will find that even the passages that are difficult are really sweet to us.
They are sweet because we know they are the Words of a God who loves us.
We digest God’s Word so that it will be a part of us.

Then we can tell others what we have learned.
We can share the Word that we have tasted.
Whether the people listen or fail to listen, God’s Word is still sweet.
Whether they listen or not is not up to us; our job is to eat, then go, and speak.

I should have said something to the girl about our hot chocolate.
We were expecting a certain taste and got another.
It warmed us but it was not enjoyable.
It was weak.

Take and eat the Word of God.
It is sweet.
Eat. Go. Speak.
People are waiting to enjoy the taste of the Word that is life to us.

 

2 responses to “Taste Matters”

1. Gina, I cannot begin to tell you how timely this word is to me. Thank you. Praying you have a beautiful Christmas w your lovely family.

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   • Diane,
     I am so glad this blessed your heart. I love when God sends just the thing we need right when we need it. Have a Blessed Christmas!
     Gina

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