GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 21 ~ ~ Psalm 34:8 ~ ~ “Taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”

Research is showing that we can forget just about everything we ever learned about how we taste food. To begin with, we don’t taste with our tongues but with our brains. Remember those tongue maps that we all learned about in school? They show that we taste sweet on the tips of our tongues, salt and sour flavors on the sides, and bitter tastes at the back of our tongues. In truth, research shows that we taste each of these flavors all over our tongue. And, no, those little bumps on your tongue are not taste buds. Rather, each of those bumps contains many taste buds.

Further, the right half of your tongue does not communicate with the left half of your tongue. Each half has its own nerve that runs to the brain that interprets signals from the tongue as taste. These nerves pass right under your eardrum. That’s why a virus infecting your ear can cause you to lose some ability to taste. Dental Novocaine is often administered very close to these nerves, which is why some people experience phantom tastes when the dentist gives them a shot.

Most amazing is the part touch plays in taste. If the right half of your tongue is numbed and you drag a flavor from the right half of your tongue to the left, only the left half will taste it. However, if you drag the flavor from the left half of your tongue to the right, your brain concludes that the left half of your tongue should experience the flavor, and it does, despite being numbed.

The ability to taste flavors is a blessing from our Creator. He even invites us to Himself by urging us to taste and see that He is good, as in today’s verse above.

In the Bible, many times the word “taste” is used to indicate a deep experience with someone or something, as is the meaning in Ps 34:8

Mark 9:1 ~ ~ “And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God when it has come with power.”

Job 20:12 ~ ~ “Though evil tastes sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,”

Hebrews 2:9 ~ ~ “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of His suffering death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”

Lord Jesus, help us to understand the depth of Your Word, and how You describe Your attributes in the things we experience without even thinking. I believe You do this to encourage us to know that You are always with us, and to be one with You as You prayed to the Father for each of us. We ask these things of the Father in Your wonderful name, with thanksgiving and praise. Amen

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