Tasting is Believing
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! It all started with my dad cranking that ice cream maker for what seemed forever. But the results were worth the wait — yummy homemade peach ice cream! That’s when my ice cream addiction began. Then, my dad enabled even more love for that tasty treat when after Sunday night church, he’d take me to the nearby convenience store for a chocolate fudgesicle. The love intensified with what only a quarter could buy. I would run to the curb of my street when I heard the music playing. I waved down the ice cream man in his truck that regularly rolled through my neighborhood. It’s their fault that I fell into an ice cream world of DELIGHT!
You might know you’re an ice cream-oholic if:
1. You know all kinds of flavors from many different brands.
2. No season or sickness can stop you from having it.
3. You don’t fuss over what to eat for dessert, because you already know it’s ice cream.|
4. Sometimes, you substitute meals with ice cream.
5. Your fridge might run out of any food item, but it’ll always have ice cream.
6. You eat ice cream when you’re happy, unlike the others who eat it when they’re sad.
7. You try out local ice creams when you travel. (Gelato in Rome is to write home about!)
8. You know that when your day has been rather humdrum, there’s always ice cream waiting for you back home.
I’ll admit I’ve had to get a grip on my love of ice cream. I don’t buy the big cartons any more — not unless the grands are coming over for chocolate shakes and popcorn. I buy those little ice cream drumsticks and I’ve narrowed down my craving to two a day. They help satisfy my craving.
Anyone who’s experienced pangs of hunger and cravings when looking at an ice cream cone can attest that the sugary, creamy treat is nearly irresistible. And it’s not just because our bodies, and taste buds, have evolved to crave sugar on a regular basis.
Now, let’s get serious! I’m sure I’ll never outgrow the DELIGHT of ice cream, though I’ve curbed my addiction. By now, you’re probably thinking “I know somewhere in here Donna is headed toward a devotional!” And, yes! I am headed there now!
The Psalmist David wrote in Psalm 119:103 “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” And in Psalm 34:8 he wrote, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”
The question to ponder is: “Do our eyes light up in delight when we hear God’s Words like these I just quoted? Do our eyes also light up in delight when we hear the name of Jesus or when we share His love with someone else? Are we addicted to His presence and seeking Him with all our hearts? Or has it become a ho-hum routine love affair and the wonder is gone?”
I’ve read about couples who stop communicating and stop making time for each other and their passion and love starts to wane. And, it’s the same with our love relationship with God. The more we cultivate and delight in God and each other…..the more addicted we become to that love relationship.
Oh, that we would be so addicted to our Lord that we have an insatiable love for Him — to delight in His presence and rejoice in His love. And, then, with that fresh love, to spread the Good News and light up someone else’s life. May we DELIGHT in our Savior and then share the light of His love–a smile, a word of encouragement, a hug — and yes, a bowl of ice cream, too! Chocolate, for me!