David writes in Psalm 34:8, “Come, taste and see that the Lord is good…” It is a simple invitation to come and just and observe, to come and to sample. It is an offer to find out if God is as good as He claims. What is the anticipation like that awaits the soul that comes to taste the Lord? Exhilarating. What can we expect from the almighty King of Kings? Infinite joy. It is like the anticipation of seeing a loved one.
If you close your eyes, you can almost sense Philip’s excitement. He had just found the long-awaited Messiah. He had seen Him with his own eyes. In pure joyful anticipation he runs to find his friend, Nathaniel, and exclaims, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45) It had only been a little bit earlier when Philip had met Jesus and had heard the words from the Messiah’s mouth, “Come, and you will see.”
Nathaniel’s skepticism reminds me of my own doubt and negative anticipation. Nathaniel’s reply sounds almost sarcastic, “What good can come out of Nazareth?” Philip doesn’t bother to give him a reply, he only bids him to, “Come and see.” Once Jesus meets Nathaniel, Jesus informs him that He recognized who he was from a far way off. Nathaniel is shocked. Jesus’ simple reply is, “You will see greater things than these.”
Perhaps you think nothing good can come from the church. What, you might ask, aside from boredom could possibly await me in the depths of religion? If this is you, I can understand. I’ve had these feelings before. But Jesus doesn’t answer these objections. He simply invites us into a relationship with Himself. The invitation is simple. Endless joy is offered to you.
“Apparently…our longing to be reunited with something in the universe from which we now feel cut off, to be on the inside of some door which we have always seen from the outside, is no mere neurotic fancy, but the truest index of our real situation. And to be at last summoned inside would be both glory and honour beyond all our merits and also the healing of that old ache… The whole man is to drink joy from the fountain of joy.” (C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory)
The offer of life awaits you. He is merciful. His grace is refreshing. He is full of love. He does not offer to change your circumstances. He offers to change your heart if you’re willing. He offers to breathe into you, new life. He has transformed mine. He offers life that turns your present world upside down. Come, taste and see, He is endless. His offer is simple, “Come, and you will see.”