Psalm 34:8 (NLT) Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

When I was a young boy, one of my favorite things to play with was big cardboard boxes. I don't remember where my dad would get them from, but I remember when I would see one in the house, I would take it, turn it upside down, and then make a door and windows for it. I would go in there and I would feel so snug and safe. Even though I was obviously safe in my home, I felt extra-safe in my new cardboard refuge. I loved being in there for some reason.

It's an awesome thing to feel safe. A refuge makes you feel safe. But even better than feeling safe is actually being safe. While I felt safe in my cardboard refuge, I obviously wasn't any safer whether I was inside or outside of it. But it's a different story with a real refuge, and there is no place safer in the whole world than having God Himself as your refuge. The verse above advises us to "taste and see" how good the Lord is. When you taste something, you experience it. When you "taste" of the Lord, it is unlike any other tasting experience that you have ever had. The sweetness of the Lord Jesus permeates your heart and soul and gives you a sense of joy and peace. Part of the tasting experience is tasting the Lord as your refuge.

The joys that I felt as a little boy in my make-believe refuge were based on something that wasn't really true and deep down inside my childlike heart, I knew it. I knew that carboard couldn't keep me safe, but imagining that it could gave me joy for a little while during my playtime. But now, I experience true and lasting joy because of my very real and present refuge, which is the Lord Jesus. I can abide in Him and I can hide in Him. Whatever I need at any given moment, I find in Him as my refuge, and this creates in me a constant joy that doesn't pass away. While I could only play in my cardboard refuge for little bits of time and while my refuge wouldn't last long because it would eventually fall apart, my refuge in the Lord my God is from everlasting to everlasting, which means the joys of that refuge are everlasting as well.

Experience the joys of the true and never-ending refuge that God is to all who hide in Him. Oh taste and see how awesome He is. Once you do, you will find that you never have to come out of that refuge and that you can enjoy safe passage in this life through every problem and every dangerous situation, all the while experiencing the joys of being completely in the powerful and loving care of your Lord and Savior Jesus. Taste it, see it, experience it and enjoy it!

Pastor Joey Vazquez