What is it about ice cream that makes us want it, no matter
how many times we’ve tasted it? I absolutely loved the homemade ice cream we
made on the porch of my aunt and uncle’s house at the fire tower where my uncle
worked. I always got to sit on the churn (I may have mentioned it before, sorry
but it’s one of my absolutely most favorite memories of childhood). Both my mother and my aunt had a secret
concoction of canned milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Cooked on the stove, cooled
and poured into the maker, a cousin would crank the handle of the machine until
they could not turn it one more time. Carefully removing the towel that held
the ice in the reservoir, we’d get ladled dollops of the most luxurious stuff.
There’s ice cream and ice milk and sherbet and sorbet.
Chocolate, strawberry, cookie dough, mint and things you’d never think of on
your own. There’s vanilla and for my way of thinking, you just can’t beat a
bowl of good old fashioned vanilla. There are shakes and floats and frosties
and smoothies. Any way you slice it, ice
cream is just wonderful. When a certain Arkansas brand of the luxurious
concoction went out of business, people all around were in great dismay! What
would we do without it?
If it’s so wonderful and we’ve had so much of it, why on
earth do we keep going back for more? Why do we need yet another bowl full if
we’ve had the best? What makes it worth return visits, loosened belts and
frozen lips?
It’s because we’ve tasted it and it is good! If it didn’t taste good, we wouldn’t come back.
If it didn’t do something for us, we’d have none of it. If it was boring, bland
and same ol’ same ol’ we’d probably move on to find something better, but for
those who love ice cream there’s nothing better.
Just as ice cream cools the brow in summer and soothes the
throat when feeling bad, the Word of God soothes our hearts and softens the
furrows in our brows. His Word is tasty and highly valued. The Bible verses
from Genesis to Revelation contain the finest ingredients that are out of this
world. No matter how you serve it, something wonderful comes forth. If you need
refreshing, it will refresh you. If you need encouragement, it will encourage
you. If you need confirmation, determination, strength, endurance,
perseverance, all of that is in the container of the Word. If you don’t know
where to go, what to do, how to escape, you can find it there. If you’re
hungry, thirsty, weak, or scared, one bite will begin to heal you, and set you
free. Open the container and get a big spoon! It’s all yours for the taking! No
one can stop you, there’s an unlimited supply and not one drop of it will harm
you. Unlike real ice cream which contains those dreaded calories, God’s Word
only contains health for your body, mind and spirit. Eat fully and enjoy it completely for it’s
the only thing on earth that will ever really satisfy.
Oh beloved, God is speaking to your heart this morning.
You’ve tried everything. You’ve been left with no real change, no real purpose,
no real enjoyment. Satisfaction, though sought by you with intense longing,
hasn’t come no matter what you’ve partaken of. Once you taste of the Word of God for yourself
and behold its wonderful benefits, you’ll continue to come back for more! God
says to you this morning, Come, beloved, I AM the One Who created you to enjoy
My Word. I created you to live for Me in the Light of all that I AM. I will
comfort you, feed you, heal you and let you return to My Word daily. My Word is
available to you day and night. It will give you everything for life and
godliness and as you become more and more reliant upon the Word I will use you
more and more for My kingdom.
God loves you and His Word is your delight! Nothing else on
earth will ever satisfy your heart, your mind or your spirit like the Word of
God. Take a big helping every time you can, for it is the only spiritual food
you will ever need.
Jeremiah 15:16 When I discovered your words, I devoured
them. They are my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God
of Heaven's Armies.
Psalm 119:103 How sweet Your words taste to me; they are
sweeter than honey.
I Peter 2:2-3 Like newborn babies, crave
pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Psalm 119:140 Your word is very pure, Therefore
Your servant loves it. (NAS)
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