Taste for Yourself, March 7

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Psalm 34:8. How shall we know for ourselves God's goodness and His love? The psalmist tells us—not, hear and know, read and know, or believe and know; but—“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Instead of relying upon the word of another, taste for yourself. Experience is knowledge derived from experiment. Experimental religion is what is needed now.... Some—yes, a large number—have a theoretical knowledge of religious truth, but have never felt the renewing power of divine grace upon their own hearts.... They believe in the wrath of God, but put forth no earnest efforts to escape it. They believe in heaven, but make no sacrifice to obtain it.... They know a remedy for sin, but do not use it. They know the right, but have no relish for it. All their knowledge will but increase their condemnation. They have never tasted and learned by experience that the Lord is good. To become a disciple of Christ is to deny self and follow Jesus through evil as well as good report.... Every darling indulgence that hinders our religious life must be cut off.... Will we put forth efforts and make sacrifices proportionate to the worth of the object to be attained? Every association we form, however limited, exerts some influence upon us. The extent to which we yield to that influence will be determined by the degree of intimacy, the constancy of the intercourse, and our love and veneration for the one with whom we associate. Thus by acquaintance and association with Christ we may become like Him, the one faultless Example. Communion with Christ—how unspeakably precious! Such communion it is our privilege to enjoy if we will seek it, if we will make any sacrifice to secure it.10Testimonies for the Church 5:221-223. So everyone may be able, through his own experience, to “set his seal to this, that God is true.” John 3:33, A.R.V.... He can testify: “I needed help, and I found it in Jesus. Every want was supplied, the hunger of my soul was satisfied.... I believe in Jesus because He is to me a divine Saviour. I believe the Bible because I have found it to be the voice of God to my soul.” 11Testimonies for the Church 8:321.