SA-VOR: “to delight in”
Little did I know that when I picked that to be my “word for the year” I would have so many opportunities to put that word to use in my life.
When we hear the word “savor”, most of us think of enjoying a delicious meal or a precious moment in time. It’s generally associated with good things, things that are pleasant and sweet.
What I’ve been learning this year, and particularly during this long and drawn out moving process, is that sometimes Jesus asks us to savor even the bland or bitter tasting things of life. Those things that don’t necessarily tickle our palate.
I’m finding that during those boring or difficult times, there is always a sprinkling of some sweet or savory seasoning in the dish served. Things that maybe we miss along the way because we are so ready for that part of the meal to be over so that we can get on to the “dessert” – the “good” stuff.
Sometimes that seasoning is in the form of good conversations with friends about the situation. It might be the lifelong lesson that happens in the middle of a particular “meal”. And if we open our hearts to the idea, it is a chance to lean in closer to the One who is sharing that meal with us.
I’m not a good wait-er. In this extended waiting process my body is exhausted and my mind is not far behind. But my heart and soul are refreshed with the seasonings of blessing that Jesus has sprinkled on this season of my life. Savoring has allowed my heart to be at peace even when my body is rebelling. Savoring has given my soul the ability to trust even when my mind is racing and bouncing all over the place.
And the biggest surprise of all? NO ANXIETY. This in itself is a huge seasoning of blessing. God has freed me from the chains of that foe that would normally be a constant companion. For that alone, I am eternally grateful and completely amazed.
I’m still not the greatest fan of waiting. But it’s the meal being served right now. So I will try to savor each bite and train my palate to taste the sweet and savory seasonings that accompany the dish.
And one day soon, the waiting will be over and I will enjoy the next meal He’s prepared for me….:-)
1 Corinthians 2:9 – “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him–
Psalm 84:11 – For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.
