Experiencing Jesus

Writers are instructed to involve all five senses because this makes a story more vivid to readers. This morning’s devotional points out that those who wrote the Bible also used this literary technique. God inspired them to involve our senses and as they did, faith is vividly depicted.

While the Bible says we must walk by faith and not by sight (trusting what God says rather than what we can easily comprehend), we are also to use our eyes and each of our senses.

Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22, NKJV)

Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant . . .  (Isaiah 55:3)

The psalmist, speaking of Jesus, says, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. . . ." (Psalm 45:7–8)

Other passages evoke more responses from our senses, such as “All Thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia” and, “Thy name is as ointment poured forth” and, “How sweet are thy words to my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my lips.”

Spurgeon says that the first response to God involves hearing. This is found in Romans 10:17: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” While we need to hear the Word with the outward ear, it is not effective until it is also heard with our inward ear. That is, we need to hear and believe the Bible as God’s Word to us personally. This “hearing” of faith happens when the mind looks at the truth presented, understands and perceives its meaning, then “sees” that this is true — knowing that this is God speaking.

When this happens, believers begin to admire the Word of God. Through faith and obedience, the Holy Spirit uses it to “touch” our lives. We are encouraged to “taste” and “see” it more and more. 

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation — if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:2–3)

As we apprehend the sweet preciousness of God, our entire body, soul and spirit are engaged in the enjoyment of knowing and walking with Him. 

As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. (Song of Solomon 2:3)

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Lord,  I can hear great symphonies, enjoy the grandeur of all creation, draw deeply the fragrance of a thousand roses, taste the most elegant foods, and indulge in many sensual delights, yet nothing pleases my ears, or delights my eyes like You. No perfume smells so sweet, no food tastes so rich or is as satisfying as this relationship that I have with You. If I lived solely for good feelings, even the most pleasant pales in comparison to the joy that You give. I thank You for my senses and that I can experience You through them. However, my greater gratitude is for the astonishing gift of being able to experience You through grace by faith, regardless of what my senses are telling me.