Happy Monday. “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalms 34:8a
This morning as I was having my first cup of hot, aromatic coffee along with my favorite meal, breakfast, I was glad that I have a good appetite! Plus, my taste buds are still good. Not everyone is so blessed, unfortunately.
If the question were asked, “What is your favorite meal or food?” we would give many different answers. We might reply, “Yuck.”
My mother was a good cook and I grew up liking all foods. One vegetable in particular is rutabaga, not a usual favorite. The last time I purchased it, the clerk asked, “What are these? How do you use them?” Poor guy! I tried to tell him why all but two or three of my family members request that we have it at any large family meal.
Now rutabaga is an acquired taste. But if you think about it, all foods that have become part of our food choices we learned to enjoy.
I believe love for God and His Word is an acquired taste. Too many who are really born again depend on a pastor, a radio program, etc. to “feed” them.
Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
Then why are we feeling lack? Because we aren’t eating regularly maybe?
Our appetites become dulled with the business of life—electronic devices ever with us, cell phones, etc. And we become malnourished.
1 Peter 2:2-3 gives a “recipe” for growing spiritually:
- We must desire God’s Word like an infant cries for the milk he needs.
- We must take the time to meditate and taste how gracious our Lord is. Then we will want to spend more time with the One who said, “I am the bread of Life.”
His bread is always fresh. The longer I live, the more I study the scripture, the more exciting and “new” it is. Just think: God speaks to us in His Word.
The prophet Jeremiah was called to a difficult job—to preach to the Israelites about their coming captivity. He didn’t “sugar coat” the approaching judgment.
He wasn’t popular to say the least! Life was hard!
How did he remain faithful to his duty?
This “weeping prophet,” as he was called, said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart…” Jeremiah 15:16
He feasted and digested the goodness of God in the midst of trouble. His weeping turned to joy.
What power is in the time spent with God and His Word.
Should we set aside time again to “taste” the goodness of God? If we fail to plan, we plan to fail!
“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalms 119:103
Monday with Beverly 
Thank you, Mrs. Hyles. I volunteer at a Christian orphanage here in Mexico, and I try hard to convince the teen-agers that they need to read God’s Word voluntarily. Your lesson will help.
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I am enjoying this site!!!
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Mrs. Hyles, Thank you for wanting to share how God is working in and through you. It is so refreshing to read your sweet and loving thoughs once again. You don’t know how encouraging you are to so many of us who have been so blessed by your life and by your kind words. I love you, Jary Lynn Storm
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I love the beauty of your words..and the bottom verse is one of my very favorite!! Thank you for such an encouraging blog to teach me and brighten my day…love you :)…love, nancy musser
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Thank you for the reminder! I’m so glad you started this blog.
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Thank you so much!!! I share your blog with a lot of folks and Praise the Lord it they have told me what a blessing it is!!! I Love you Mrs. Hyles!! God is so GOOD all the time!!!
Melissa Ellis Gonzalez
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Thank you for another great post! I have enjoyed reading your blog each Monday.
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Thank you !
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Dear Mrs. Hyles,
I can’t tell you how delighted I am that you have started this wonderful devotional. I have so many wonderful memories of our days at Hyles-Anderson College & FBC with Bro. Hyles as our pastor and you as our first lady 1983-1990. I loved taking your classes, attending & working with you in Hylander Wives, and of course being in church with the greatest Christian we know, Bro. Hyles. We were surely blessed to be there and have both of you to influence our lives so much. We still enjoy reading your books and sharing with others what we learned & are learning from the both of you. God bless you Mrs. Hyles, I love you and indebted to all you instilled in me. I am so glad that once again we have an opportunity to gain wisdom and insight from such a great lady of God. Love in Christ, Mrs. Jody Watkins
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Thank you again!! Look forward to my Tuesday morning down under to read your lesson! 🙂
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Thank you, Mrs Hyles!!! I just found your blog via my mother, Rose Shepherd. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to ‘hear’ your voice and read your teachings again. An absolute refreshment to my soul! I will greatly look forward to this every Monday! Thank you for your investment in my life. I still have the teddy bear you gave me in your 8th grade Sunday school class! I love you!! – Helen
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It’s funny when I think about how “hungry” I was for the word when I first got saved… Where does that go? I did find that if you pray for that hunger to come back… it will! Thank you so much for your encouraging words of wisdom. I look forward to these every monday!
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So true and so helpful. I find that if I starve myself of time alone with God, I begin to starve those around me of what they need from me because I have nothing to give.
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We love rutabagas (or ‘Swedes’ as they are called in England/Europe). I usually just pierce the skin and bake them in the oven until the inside is soft to eat. A yummy meal with a little bit of butter. Thanks much for your ‘Monday’ encouragement.
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Mrs. Hyles, My wife Tammy and I appreciate your thoughts. God bless you.
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Thank you so much for all the encouragement on Mondays with your page. just wondering if you would like to start including maybe some recipes that you have had you used still thoughout years. thinking of one in particular that you gave to us in class 1 year. I believe it has cabbage potatoes carrots and some type of layering effect it was a casserole
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How precious this is and Oh how true. Unfortunately, reading the Bible daily does not come natural. At times in my life I just did it because of duty; but it helped me nevertheless. It always profits us. Praise the Lord for it. Thanks again for making Monday’s so special because of your words.
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This is what I needed today! Thank you!
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As I took my daughter to work early this morning and watched the sun begin to rise over the mountains I was over whelmed with the reality of His goodness in these 38 plus years of salvation. Then I read your devotion and realized how good He tastes. Oh that today may be the day we stand on that golden shore in His presence forever more!
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How refreshing to hear the words of my Pastor Wife when we moved to Indiana. How I miss her, I love Mrs.Hyles,I will never forget Hylander wifes and all the wisdom that you gave us ladies in raising our children,being a wife,and turning to Gods word for our strength. Reading your blog made me feel I was setting at Hylanders wifes listening to you speak to us. Thank you for
starting this,Im so glad I found this. Awesome Love you Mrs. Hyles
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Pretty good stuff
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