Savoring His Creation
OK, full confession: I’m an espresso drinker. No milk, no sugar, just a shot. So, my husband would say there is nothing to savor. It’s a drink that is gone before he has even drawn his first sip of latte. But I really do enjoy my espresso. The right flavor, the right temperature, the right sip and it rolls around in my mouth before swallowing. It is good stuff, worth savoring.
God made us to savor His creation
In thinking about rest and giving up hurry, one of the retreat ideas that grabbed me was a retreat of the senses. For me, even that small shot of espresso is worth savoring. I think God savors every moment with us as well. He savors the time we spend curled up in our favorite chair reading his love letter to us, chatting about how funny or frustrating something was. He savors the time with us, just as He savored the walk in the garden with Adam and Eve. He made us to savor things too. To savor relationships, to appreciate His creation, to enjoy the taste of coffee (or whatever your drink is!). We were made in His image and He took time to savor.
The sense of hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, and smelling are all in the Bible, and generally lauded or we are exhorted to use them. I cannot recall the last time I was deliberate in engaging my senses to glorify the Lord. The appreciation and the majesty that is so evident in the creation and our enjoyment of it is something that surely the Lord savors with us.
Smell as of perfume
The smell of freshly baking bread or the lasagna that is just out of the oven; those are memorable smells. You may recall the snickerdoodles your grandmother made or the smell of tiny baby’s waste. Good or bad, the smells conjure more than just the scent, but also the moment when we experienced them. Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice (Proverbs 27:9).
Ears to hear
Wind chimes, the song of a bird, the rumble of public transport. 😊 Living in the big city, of millions of people has been an adjustment. Just a year ago we lived in a little side street in small city where we could hear the birds and the (sometimes deafening) crickets. Now all I hear is noise. I have to wear headphones to listen to anything pleasant. And when I do, it is indeed as if I were transported to another place, where I can relax and don’t flinch at the sirens as they pass. Isn’t it odd how sounds also conjure other things, a waterfall when needing to use the facilities is torture, but gentle stream lulls us to sleep? David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals (1 Chronicles 15:16).
Taste for enjoyment
We have all these buds to distinguish sweet or sour or salty or bitter, but they don’t warn me if something is bad or poisonous. And even then, some eat poisonous things. Almonds can be deadly, but we eat them anyway. Simply because we like things, we eat them. Yes, it is true, moderation is good. But I can’t really see why we have this incredible ability to distinguish between these tastes if not for our own enjoyment. The words of our Lord are even compared to sweet honey in Psalm 119, verse 103: How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
What a sight
From the story of creation, the Bible tells us to look, to see. God saw what He created it was good. It is interesting that God sees and then concludes it is good but takes the time to check out His creation and see it is good. A tulip, a mountain, a whale, he saw, and they were good. Perhaps we more easily pause at the sight of our loved ones, at the sight of a sunrise or the stars in the sky. Here in the city, I keep thinking I should start a patio garden, just to have something that isn’t brown to gaze upon. Our eyes also reflect our feelings, of sorrow and grief, joy and peace. Even our mood can be reflected in color, being blue, or having a black mood or seeing red. Color is so often mentioned, a red cord, a multi-colored coat, a golden calf, all in the Bible. Sight too is something we can celebrate with our Father. Taste and see the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8a).
Warm fuzzy touch
With the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, there is no greater argument for appreciating touch than that. God came here to touch us and know us intimately, to bring a healing touch to the leper, the blind, the cripple. We are even instructed to greet one another with a holy kiss, which I suppose we will all have to adjust to a holy foot tap in this day and age. But there is nothing like a warm hug or an empathetic touch on the arm. And he [Jesus] took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them (Mark 10:16).
Our senses were created by God for our enjoyment, and for His glory. I know I need to take time to slow down and enjoy experiences more and thank Him for the enrichment of our experiences through the senses.
