The Little Things

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him. ” Psalm 34:8-9 (KJV)

It truly is the little things in life that can bring the most joy.  The simple things we often take for granted are usually what we miss the most once they are gone. The laughter of a child, the kind smile of a loved one, the sounds of home. It is the simple things, the little things, the small things, that make life full. Many times, we think it is the big stuff that fills up our lives, but we often look back and find those little things filling in every nook and cranny that make our lives complete.

I’m reminded of a summer day a few years back when my family and I had taken a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  The sun was beating down on us that day, and we had walked up and down the strip of that town, relentlessly, veering in and out of every store door we came to, and if you have been to Gatlinburg, you know that was a lot. We were tired, wet with sweat, depleted of all nutrients, but still eager to see what was behind each store window.  For me and the kids, it was time to sit down and eat lunch, but for my eager husband, it was still time to search out every store and find whatever it was we were searching for. The only relief from the elements of the sun and humidity was the air conditioning that was blaring in the doorway of each store we entered.

By the grace of God, we entered a shop that had ice-cold beverages. My husband excitedly exclaimed that they had Peach Nehi. We all eagerly reached into the floor model cooler and pulled out a beverage of choice. I lingered, warily, between water, which I knew was what my body really needed, and that liquid coral sweetness housed in a glass bottle and nestled so perfectly in a bed of ice.  There was no question in my husband’s mind – he reached for the Peach Nehi. My daughter pulled out an Orange Nehi, and my son grabbed a bottle of water. I also reached for water, knowing it was the right thing to do, and also knowing that I could always steal a sip from my husband’s drink.

We paid for our refreshments, popped open the lids, and walked back outside into the hot, sweltering sun. Immediately, my husband took a man-sized drink, which is equivalent to about five of my sips. He sighed a refreshing sigh and handed the bottle to me. I was hesitant. It had been so long since I had taken a sip of one, I wasn’t even sure I would still like the taste. I turned up the bottle, and immediately my mouth was filled with the flavor of peach carbonated goodness, and I sighed, as well. Not only did I sigh, but I took another sip and just looked at the bottle, angry for having denied myself the pleasure of this drink for such a long time.  Oh, to tell you it tasted good is an understatement.  My daughter tried to claim the orange was better, but I knew otherwise. I gave it a try, but it did not compare to the exquisite flavor of those first three ice-cold sips of Peach Nehi that I took on that hot summer day.

Of course, I realized I only liked it in small doses. After only a few sips, I was done. The excitement of its flavor, the refreshment of its carbonation, and the appeal of its sugary goodness only lasted a few moments, but what wonderful moments they were. I was soon quite satisfied to return to drinking water and had no more need for the Peach Nehi to satisfy my craving. My husband finished the bottle. About half of the bottle of Orange Nehi ended up being thrown in the garbage. I knew the peach was better.

Looking back on that day, I realize that I haven’t craved for Peach Nehi since then. I have since had the opportunity to drink it again, but, just as that day, a few sips was all I needed to satisfy that craving. Like the old expression, “a little dab will do ya”, I only needed a little.

Often, we approach the things of God in this same way. We may find that we have not encountered Him in quite some time, and when we do it is so sweet. However, we often believe “a little dab will do ya” and go along our merry way, as if having an intimate, long-enduring relationship with God is unnecessary. We may whisper a little prayer in the morning before leaving for work or offer a little thanks for a beautiful morning when we awake, but this seems to satisfy us. We often replace reading His word with social media posts and Netflix. Sometimes, we may find ourselves allowing a scripture we read on a social media post or even an inspirational blog to suffice our daily reading ritual. Indeed, we neglect to take any more time than what is absolutely necessary to spend with our Heavenly Father. God wants us to talk to Him in prayer, and He wants us to listen to Him through the reading of His word. Even small doses throughout the day are beneficial and rewarding.
Yes, time with God is much like those few sips of Peach Nehi I took on that hot summer day. It is refreshing, joyful, and highly concentrated in even the smallest doses, but unlike the carbonated, sugary drink, it can be consumed daily and as often as you want. It will provide the utmost satisfaction in even the most desert places, and it will sustain you far beyond the reach of your consumption. Also, unlike the sugary beverage, time spent with God provides nutrition for your daily walk with Him. There is no place for guilt or gluttony when you take the highly concentrated sip of TWG (time with God). On the contrary, there is an excess of joy, peace, humility, kindness, and love to be cultivated in your starving spirit. Sure, His presence is much like that sip of ice-cold Peach Nehi on a hot summer day, small doses can have a fulfilling, long-lasting effect. But what kind of effect can large, daily doses have on our lives?

Why not taste and see?